ON ANGLICISMS USED IN GERMAN-LANGUAGE OFFICIAL AND BUSINESS DISCOURSE

Abstract

Тhe main goal of the article is to describe and analyze English loanwords (i.e. anglicisms) typically used in German business discourse. Particular focus is placed on peculiar characteristics of business communication as one of the most dynamic discourse areas and possible reasons for borrowing words from English. Given the global role of the English language in international communication, the loanwords are shown to be a reliable means to transfer specifi c, business-related information in multinational working communities, as well as the result of modern linguistic development trends and a way to describe newly emerging concepts. Comparison is made with the Russian language to illustrate how anglicisms may be used to describe the speaker’s social identity and their belonging to a certain social group. Plentiful examples of English loanwords and their combinations in various contexts, accompanied with German equivalents, are given. Assumptions are made as to certain loanwords being part of professional vocabulary. Some aspects of lexical gaps and untranslatability theory are mentioned when discussing the potential reasons for borrowings. Conclusion is drawn as to the varying extent of assimilation of anglicisms in the German language and their role from the perspective of language development dynamics and trends. In conclusion, some problems related to the use of loanwords in German texts are outlined, more specifi cally: poor grammatical integration and translation diffi culties connected with text register and expectations of target audience. Further ways to investigate the use of English loanwords in the German language are mentioned.