Master’s Thesis Explores French Linguistic Borrowings and Their Impact on the Iraqi Dialect
The master’s thesis, “A Study of Phonetic and Semantic Variations of Words Borrowed from French in the Iraqi Dialect,” written by student Mustafa Abdul Rasul Abdul Har, was assessed by the College of Languages’ Department of French on Tuesday, June 24, 2025.
The goal of the thesis is to examine French terms that have been borrowed at the phonetic and semantic levels in line with the Iraqi dialect usage and pronunciation. About 130 French-originated words are examined in the study, which records phonetic changes including the removal of specific sounds or their replacement with sounds more suited to the Iraqi phonological system.
It also discusses the effects of linguistic borrowing on the original language, pointing out that, while though borrowing is a way to adapt and stay up to date with contemporary advancements, an over-reliance on borrowed terms may cause some aspects of the local language to disappear.
The thesis emphasized the significance of recording and examining this overlap within scientific frameworks and called for further focus on studies that illuminate the ways in which foreign language environments—such as English, Persian, Turkish, and French—influence the Iraqi dialect.
