FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OF FOREIGN BORROWINGS IN RUSSIAN-LANGUAGE SPEECH (BASED ON INTERVIEW DATA)

Abstract

The article examines the theoretical as well as functional and communicative aspects of borrowed words in the Russian language. The main approaches to the interpretation of the borrowing process, presented in the works of Russian linguists, are summarized, and its dependence on socio-cultural factors is emphasized. The relevance of the study is determined by the need to analyze the functioning of foreign lexical units based on authentic speech of native speakers. The research material consists of transcripts of more than 100 video interviews selected through continuous sampling. The analysis has revealed the main functions of borrowings, including the nomination of new and obsolete concepts, linguistic economy, specification, euphemization, and the expression of irony. It has been established that the use of borrowed words is determined by a combination of social factors and the specific features of speakers’ verbal behavior. The study concludes that borrowings are functionally motivated and play a significant communicative role in contemporary Russian speech