Sammendrag
This paper examines the types and usage of Anglicisms in Norwegian youth language through analysing YouTube videos of four young Norwegian influencers focusing on direct borrowings. The primary objective of this analysis is to inquire upon the kind of Anglicisms being used, the extent to which they are utilized, and their functions within the Norwegian language. Data was collected from four videos by each of the four influencers, amounting to a total of sixteen videos. In three of the videos the number of direct borrowings was counted as material for a quantitative approach, whereas one video from each influencer was transcribed to use as material for a qualitative analysis. The analysis showed that the use of Anglicisms is consistent among the Norwegian influencers. Nevertheless, there is not an abundance of Anglicisms in the material and the majority of the words spoken are in Norwegian. Both new and more established Anglicisms are used, most of which are Anglicisms of more recent origin. The Anglicisms are present in different forms, such as single words, partial-words, phrases and full sentences.
The results show six main functions of the usage of Anglicisms: catachrestic use, appropriacy, principle of economy, verbal playfulness, transitions and softening/intensifying the message. Many, if not all, of the Anglicisms also serve more than one function. Appropriacy is a particularly significant category because English is trendy and relevant, and English words and phrases tend to be preferred to their Norwegian counterparts. In this way the direct borrowings are used in order to sound youthful and modern. It is concluded that Anglicisms are a language resource. It allows for youth to express their identity without limitations of just having one language and thus it enriches their vocabulary and modes of expression.