Abstract

Word borrowing, a key feature of language contact, reflects dynamic linguistic interactions in multicultural societies. In Thai communication, English borrowings have become so common that some surpass their native Thai equivalents in usage. This study investigates the extent to which Thai youth in a southern province comprehend English borrowings, particularly when encountered in their original English contexts. It was hypothesized that familiarity with borrowed words contributes to English proficiency. A total of 636 students from 13 junior and senior high schools in Nakhon Si Thammarat completed an online questionnaire comprising demographic items and a multiple-choice gap-fill task measuring receptive lexical knowledge. The task included two context-based subtests: one in Thai and one in English. Results showed high familiarity with English borrowings in Thai contexts but lower recognition in English contexts. A paired samples t-test confirmed the significant difference, t(635) = 26.95, p < .001, with a large effect size (Cohen’s d = 1.07), indicating better performance in the Thai-context task. Correlation analysis revealed a moderate positive relationship between knowledge of English borrowings and general English vocabulary. These findings suggest that English borrowings can serve as an accessible resource for enhancing lexical development, especially in environments with limited target language exposure.