Congolese loanwords in Ivorian French

the article examines lexical borrowings from the autochthonous languages of the Republic of the Congo and the Democratic Republic of the Congo present in the Ivorian variety of French. The study aims to identify these Congolese borrowings and classify them into thematic groups. Particular attention is paid to the cultural aspects of cross-cultural borrowing, analyzing the adaptation mechanisms of these foreign elements and their role in representing phenomena of Congolese material culture within Ivorian society. The research material is based on works of fiction by Ivorian authors, as well as journalistic texts from popular Ivorian newspapers and news websites. The methodology is based on a comprehensive approach, including continuous sampling, contextual analysis, and linguocultural analysis. The study concludes that lexical borrowings of Congolese origin represent cultural borrowings, primarily used to denote cultural phenomena related to traditional cuisine and art. The findings indicate that these borrowings serve as a distinct marker of intercultural interaction within the Francophone space of Africa and constitute a significant source of enrichment for the Ivorian variety of French.

French, Ivorian French, territorial variety, lexical borrowings, linguocultural studies, Democratic Republic of the Congo