On the Status of English-Origin Nouns in Vietnamese Discourse: Evidence from Australia

Abstract

This study determines the status of English-origin nouns in otherwise Vietnamese discourse among bilingual speakers in Australia. It examines whether these nouns function as fully integrated loanwords, nonce borrowings, or instances of code-switching. Taking a comparative variationist approach, this study compares patterns of syntactic integration across three points of comparison: Vietnamese nouns (VN), attested English-origin loanwords (LW) and English-origin single nouns (EN1) and multi-word constructions (EN2). The study is based on a quantitative analysis of natural, spontaneous speech produced by nine bilingual speakers (five female, four male). The analysis compares patterns of post-nominal modification and quantifier and classifier usage across the points of comparison to disambiguate the status of English-origin nouns in Vietnamese discourse. Findings reveal overall low levels of syntactic integration for EN1, suggesting that most of these items reflect nonce borrowing or code-switching rather than fully conventionalised forms. EN1 shows stronger integration into Vietnamese grammar, particularly in quantified contexts where classifier usage aligns with VN norms and in post-nominal possessives. EN2, however, exhibits minimal adaptation, retaining more English-like structures and showing no transparent patterns of code-switching, suggesting intermediary mixing strategies that blur the boundaries between borrowing and code-switching. These findings contribute to language mixing theory by providing empirical evidence on the syntactic behaviour of English-origin nouns in otherwise Vietnamese discourse. The study also holds practical implications for heritage language maintenance by providing insights into how bilinguals manage grammar and vocabulary dynamically in multilingual settings. This research provides a nuanced variationist analysis of English-origin nouns in Vietnamese discourse. It contributes to the study of mixing strategies between English and Vietnamese, an understudied language pair. Methodologically, this study adds to the growing body of studies that use quantitative and comparative methodology for identifying linguistic patterns.