lexical attrition
[LEK-si-kəl ə-TRISH-ən]
nounpl: lexical attritions
atrito lexical
1. The gradual loss or erosion of vocabulary in a language, particularly the loss of words from an individual speaker's active or passive vocabulary over time, or the disappearance of words from a language community due to disuse.
Lexical attrition in heritage speakers often occurs when they are immersed in a dominant language environment.
O atrito lexical em falantes de herança ocorre frequentemente quando eles estão imersos em um ambiente de língua dominante.
2. In the context of language acquisition or multilingualism, the phenomenon where vocabulary knowledge deteriorates due to lack of use or exposure.
The immigrant's lexical attrition in her native language became noticeable after years of living abroad.
O atrito lexical da imigrante em sua língua materna tornou-se perceptível após anos morando no exterior.
This term is primarily used in linguistic, educational, and cognitive research contexts. It is particularly relevant in discussions about immigration, bilingualism, and heritage language preservation in multicultural societies like Brazil and the United States. The concept has gained importance in discussions about immigrant communities maintaining their native languages while acquiring dominant language proficiency.
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