An Exposition of Some Adapted Lexemes in Dholuo

Abstract

The paper gives an exposition of some adapted English lexemes into Dholuo. The work relied on a descriptive design. Total purposive sampling technique was incorporated in collecting secondary data to saturation level. All the adapted nominal lexemes from the English Dholuo Dictionary (EDD) were collected, qualitatively analyzed, edited and presented thematically by showing the adapted lexemes in various areas. The results indicate that adapted lexemes in this lexicographical work are manifested in the following areas: religion, people, subjects, places, measurements, clothing, vegetables, foodstuff, equipment, vehicles and months. We have gathered that as we adapt some lexemes from English into Dholuo, then phonemes such as /ʃ (sh), z/ automatically change to /s/, /v/ changes to /f/ and /q/ changes to /k/. We have concluded that English consonant phonemes such as / ʃ (sh), z, v, q/ are not manifested in Dholuo. Therefore, translators have to adapt them by using both the transference and naturalization translation procedures in order to achieve the desirable translated text.