Interference

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The term interference is sometimes used to refer to the influence of one language on another one in the speech of bilinguals who know both languages.

  • "Those instances of deviation from the norms of either language which occur in the speech of bilinguals as a result of their familiarity with more than one language, i.e. as a result of language contact, will be referred to as INTERFERENCE phenomena." (Weinreich 1953:1)

Grammar

The verb to interfere can also be used in this sense ("The phonology of the speaker's native language interferes with the use of the second language.").

Comments

The influence of one language on another in the speech of bilinguals is relevant both to the field of second language acquisition (where the interference from the learner's native language is studied) and to the field of historical linguistics (where the effects of interference on language change are studied).

Second language aquisition researchers have often observed the negative connotations of the term interference, and have in recent decades tended to avoid it, preferring the term transfer.

Historical linguists have generally focused on languages rather than speakers, and have tended to use the term interference in a different, historical sense. However, since the term contact-induced change is now more common for this sense, interference is not common in historical linguistics anymore either.

Polysemy

Interference can refer to the influence on one language on another in speech (as in second language acquisition research), or to the influence of one language on another in language change (as in historical linguistic research) (see interference (i.e. contact-induced change)). In some contexts, the term may be used in a vague sense that is neutral between the two readings.

Origin

The term became well-known through Weinreich's influential (1953) book Languages in contact. Weinreich used the term in both senses (interference in speech and interference in language change).

Reference

  • Weinreich, Uriel. 1953. Languages in contact. New York.

other languages

German Interferenz

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