Critical Literature Review on the Socio-Cultural Implications of Lexical Borrowings in Anglophone Literature: A Focus on South Dravidian Languages.

Abstract

Lexical borrowing is a cultural signifier that captures the indigenous richness of culture and historical depth, adding authenticity and local colour to narratives. Bilingual postcolonial writers often incorporate untranslated terms from their native languages to bridge cultural gaps, leading to debates on the abrogation and appropriation of English in Anglophone literature. This study conducts a critical literature review to explore how twelve selected studies published between 1993 and 2023 provide a comprehensive understanding of the complexities and implications of lexical borrowings in Anglophone literature, particularly in the context of South Dravidian languages such as Tamil, Malayalam, and Kannada. The review not only identifies the role of lexical borrowings in exploring socio-cultural implications and demonstrating their cultural significance with authenticity in postcolonial narratives but also highlights the potential challenges of using lexical borrowings as tools for cultural expression and identity construction in postcolonial literary works.