Definition & Meaning of "language contact"

What is "language contact"?

Language contact refers to the interaction between speakers of different languages, which can lead to various linguistic changes and influences. This interaction often occurs in situations where people from different linguistic backgrounds come together, such as through migration, trade, colonization, or cultural exchange. As a result of language contact, languages can borrow words, phrases, and grammatical structures from one another, leading to the creation of loanwords and hybrid languages. For example, English has borrowed many terms from languages like French, Spanish, and Latin due to historical contact. Language contact can also result in language shift, where speakers adopt a new language over their native one, or in the development of pidgins and creoles, which emerge as simplified languages used for communication between groups with different native languages. Overall, language contact plays a significant role in the evolution of languages and can lead to rich linguistic diversity.