Lexical borrowing from English into Danish in the Sciences: An empirical investigation of ‘domain loss’

Abstract

The emergence of English as an international language of science has generated prolific debates in the Nordic countries about ‘domain loss’, here defined as the national Nordic languages failing to develop adequate scientific terminology. This paper sheds some much needed empirical light on domain loss by examining the language practices of 10 scientists delivering undergraduate courses in chemistry, physics and computer science at the University of Copenhagen. Focusing on lexical borrowing from English into Danish, it is found that there is considerable variation within the scientific domain, with the sub‐domain computer science exhibiting significantly more lexical borrowing than physics and chemistry. The paper discusses the findings in relation to the concept of domain loss, and offers some alternative reasons for the concern that has been expressed. Det engelske sprogs rolle som internationalt forskningssprog har skabt debat i de nordiske lande om ‘domænetab’, her forstået som det forhold at de nationale nordiske sprog ikke udvikler adækvat fagterminologi. Denne artikel forsøger at kaste tiltrængt empirisk lys over domænetab ved at undersøge sprogbrugen hos ti videnskabsfolk som underviser på bachelorniveau i kemi, fysik og datalogi på Københavns Universitet. Ved at fokusere på leksikalske lån fra engelsk i dansk vises at der er stor variation inden for det videnskabelige domæne, idet sub‐domænet datalogi har betydeligt flere lån end fysik og kemi. Artiklen diskuterer resultaterne i forhold til begrebet ‘domænetab’, og foreslår alternative årsager til den bekymring der er blevet udtrykt.

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