Academic literature on the topic 'Afrikaans language – Cognate words'

Early research into the Afrikaans vocabulary was mainly diachronic and comparative (Dutch being the “mother” language from which Afrikaans developed) and the relationship between the lexicons of the two languages was not explored in any great detail towards the end of the twentieth century. This state of affairs changed with the publication of Groot Woordeboek Afrikaans en Nederlands (“Great Dictionary Afrikaans and Dutch”) in 2011, a dictionary with an amalgamated lemma list. One of the outcomes of the lexicographic project was the realisation that less than fifty percent of the lemmas in the dictionary were absolute cognates, words which are similar in both form and meaning. This finding prompted a synchronic comparison of word forming processes in Afrikaans and Dutch, using two small newspaper corpora from 2009 as well a selection of neologisms. Analysis of the data shows that although Afrikaans and Dutch differ in the way in which loan words are incorporated—Dutch speakers prefer to take over the words as they are, whereas Afrikaans speakers make use of calques— the morphosemantic process of compounding is still the most productive way for adding words to the lexicon. The two languages do not make use of each others’ coinages, one indication that their lexicons are increasingly growing apart.

Given the common ancestry of Dutch and Afrikaans, it is not surprising that they use similar periphrastic constructions to express progressive meaning:aan het(Dutch) andaan die/’t(Afrikaans) lit. ‘at the’;bezig met/(om)te(Dutch) lit. ‘busy with/to’ andbesig om telit. ‘busy to’ (Afrikaans); and so-called cardinal posture verb constructions (zitten/sit‘sit’,staan‘stand’,liggen/lê‘lie’ andlopen/loop‘walk’), CPVte(‘to’ Dutch) and CPVen(‘and’ Afrikaans). However, these cognate constructions have grammaticalized to different extents. To assess the exact nature of these differences, we analyzed the constructions with respect to overall frequency, collocational range, and transitivity (compatibility with transitive predicates and passivizability). We used two corpora that are equal in size (both about 57 million words) and contain roughly the same types of written text. It turns out that the use of periphrastic progressives is generally more widespread in Afrikaans than in Dutch. As far as grammaticalization is concerned, we found that the Afrikaansaan die- and CPV-constructions, as well as the Dutchbezig- and CPV-constructions, are semantically restricted. In addition, only the Afrikaansbesig- and CPVen-constructions allow passivization, which is remarkable for such periphrastic expressions.*

Aims and objectives: This study examines second language (L2) bilinguals’ use of words that have the same or similar forms in their two languages but whose meaning extensions differ – that is, false cognates. We examine the conditions under which L2 speakers inappropriately use false cognates in the L2. How do frequency of the relevant words in each language and polysemy of the word in the first language (L1) affect L2 learners’ use of such words? Design: Fifty Spanish L1–English L2 adults translated 80 words in context from Spanish (S) to English (E). The words involved polysemous Spanish words that had several translations in English, one of which was a cognate form. Words were strictly balanced for L1 polysemy (high versus low), frequency of the S word, frequency of the E cognate form, and frequency of the E non-cognate translation. The words were presented in unambiguous contextual frames that pushed for the non-cognate translation in English. Data and analysis: Analyses of variance were used to analyze participants’ translations relative to the variables of Spanish polysemy and the frequencies of the forms in question. Findings: The findings show that the relative transparency or opacity of the mapping between the L1 and L2 influences word choice: the use of a false cognate instead of a competing correct lexical item depends on the complex interaction of L1 polysemy and the lexical frequencies of the L1 and L2 forms in the bilingual’s two languages. Originality: This study strictly controls for several factors crucial to L2 users’ choice of a word in the L2: polysemy in the L1, frequency of the L1 word, and frequencies of the L2 words involved. Significance: When these variables are viewed together, the data reveal a complex interaction showing factors that contribute to the transparency or opacity of the L1–L2 lexical semantic linkages.

The stress patterns of Afrikaans and Dutch simplex words correspond to a large extent. However, a small percentage of words differ with regard to the placing of the main stress. The theoretical descriptions of this phenomenon in Afrikaans and Dutch are compared and the conclusion is reached that the Afrikaans description has a higher degree of descriptive and explanatory adequacy than its Dutch counterpart. This can be ascribed to a number of factors, some of which are dealt with in the article. It is furthermore demonstrated that the majority of shifts in stress patterns from Dutch to Afrikaans take place according to the main stress rule. This article indicates how these shifts provide strong support for the main stress rule for simplex words which forms the basis of the argument.

Abstract This paper compares the different possibilities of verbal complementation of the Dutch verb proberen ‘try’ and its Afrikaans cognate probeer ‘try’. In Dutch, proberencan take three complement types: an om te infinitive, a te infinitive and a bare infinitive. In Afrikaans, probeer can only take two complements: an om te infinitive and a bare infinitive. There are no semantic differences among the complemen-tation patterns. We conducted a corpus study for both languages to investigate which factors influence the choice of the complement. In Dutch there is a clear influence of region (Netherlandic Dutch versus Belgian Dutch). Furthermore, the length of the object and the type of clause (main or embedded) have a significant influence on the choice of the complement. In the Afrikaans data the presence of the object as well as its length significantly influence the choice between an om te and a bare infinitive.

Abstract Previous studies on second language (L2) vocabulary acquisition with children showed that the use of a picture learning method favours the creation of direct links between the semantic system and new lexical representations at early stages of L2 acquisition (Comesaña et al., 2009). However, recent studies found that this influence seems to vary according to the cognate status of the words being learned (Comesaña et al., 2012), raising the question of how the type of words involved can modulate the lexical-semantic connections between the words of both languages in the bilingual memory. The main goal of the present study was to explore list composition effects in the establishment of L2 word-to-concept connections in Portuguese children by using a picture-based method. Results showed no influence of list composition in the establishment of L2 lexical-semantic connections when cognates have to be learned. Findings are discussed in light of relevant models of bilingual memory.

Most research on cognates has focused on words presented in isolation that are easily defined as cognate between L1 and L2. In contrast, this study investigates what counts as cognate in authentic texts and how such cognates are read. Participants with L1 Danish read news articles in their highly proficient L2, English, while their eye-movements were monitored. The experiment shows a cognate advantage for morphologically simple words, but only when cognateness is defined relative to translation equivalents that are appropriate in the context. For morphologically complex words, a cognate disadvantage is observed which may be due to problems of integrating cognate with non-cognate morphemes. The results show that fast non-selective access to the bilingual lexicon is conditioned by the communicative context. Importantly, a range of variables are statistically controlled in the regression analyses, including word predictability indexed by the conditional probability of each word.

Two matters are considered in this paper.(i) The identification of the first version of Kaaps, the progenitor of Afrikaans. The earliestversion of Kaaps was recorded during the first period of the history of Afrikaans – theperiod prior to 1652. This period commences with the first visits to the Cape by Dutchmariners. The written records of Kaaps dating from that period are older than anyother manifestation of forms in Afrikaans. Some of these early words are currently stillin use among speakers of Kaaps, while others have been incorporated into StandardAfrikaans, or appear in dictionaries and the AWS (Afrikaanse Woordelys en Spelreëls –Wordlist and Spelling rules for Afrikaans). Some even continue to survive in the spokenAfrikaans of a number of regional dialects. Reference is also made in this chapter tohow Kaaps eventually developed and played an important role in the shaping of othervarieties of Afrikaans.(ii) The circumstances leading to the incorporation of elements of other varieties into the coredescription of Afrikaans. In describing Afrikaans, language historians usually ask whereparticular words and constructions come from. But the question how is actually ofgreater value when investigating the development of Afrikaans. Ek (I) is a word inKaaps which was, over time, absorbed into general use in Afrikaans. An analysis ofhow this process took place reveals that the ‘how’ questions are of greater importancein the history of the language than the ‘when’ and ‘where’ questions. The true story ofAfrikaans is a socio-historical one. Destigmatization, and the circumstances leading tochanging norms, are evoked by the ‘how’ questions.

AbstractThis study investigates the development of two levels of morphological knowledge that contribute to Spanish-English bilingual students’ ability to recognize cognates: the ability to recognize a cognate stem within a suffixed English word, and knowledge of systematic relationships between Spanish and English suffixes (e.g., the fact that words ending in -ty in English often have a Spanish cognate ending in -dad). A total of 196 Latino bilingual students in 4th, 6th, and 8th grade were asked to give the Spanish equivalent for English words, some of which had derivational and inflectional suffixes. The results indicated that the students’ ability to translate cognates increased with age above and beyond any increase in their vocabulary knowledge in Spanish and English. There was also marked growth in the students’ knowledge of systematic relationships between Spanish and English suffixes. Students recognized cognate stems of suffixed words more easily than noncognate stems, suggesting that, in closely related languages such as Spanish and English, cross-language transfer may play a role, not just in recognizing individual words, but also in the learning of derivational morphology.

Studies in bilingualism have shown that words activate form-similar neighbors in both first (L1) and second (L2) languages. Accordingly, we hypothesized that the degree of form similarity between L1–L2 word pairs causes a proportional amount of prosodic transfer in L2 speech production. Thus, cognate pairs L1–L2 which bear lexical stress in the same syllable position should be facilitated in L2 production, while cognates with stress on mismatching positions L1–L2 should be inhibited. The results of a speeded word naming task with English L2 speakers showed facilitation in production of cognate words overall. Concerning word stress in L1–L2, an opposite effect was found between 2- and 3-syllable cognate words, while no effect was found for non-cognates. The effects found for cognate words correlate with form similarity and L2 lexical frequency values, corroborating the hypotheses that lexical activation in L2 is non-selective and that the bilingual lexicon is built in association between L1 and L2 at multiple levels of linguistic representation.

Thesis (MPhil (Afrikaans and Dutch))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis is an analysis of The True Story of Ah Q in English translation (in Chinese-English bilingual format). By applying new translation theories, specifically those of Christiane Nord and Lawrence Venuti, and by demonstrating their applicability it is hoped that this research project will contribute to these theories becoming more accepted in China. The skopos theory and the concepts domestication and foreignisation are the main translation theories utilised in this thesis. The research was begun with the hypothesis that the translators domesticated the English target text, based on Venuti’s belief that the majority of English translations domesticate the original. The two main research questions are: What is the dominant translation strategy utilised by the translators? Does this strategy fulfil the skopos (i.e. the aims of the translation)? The research will also give suggestions for an improved translation and a more effective translation strategy in light of the skopos. In addition, the study will determine whether the bilingual format is suited for the fulfilment of the current skopos. As pointed out in the publisher’s note, this Chinese-English bilingual version of The True Story of Ah Q is intended to exhibit this modern Chinese classic as a great piece of Chinese literature. The primary aim of the translation is to give readers a real experience of the depth and the heights of Chinese culture. The secondary aims of the translation focus on language learning as well as the function for translators (namely to use this translation as an example for future translations). This research project will determine if the translation has fulfilled these aims. The translation theories on which the analyses in this thesis are based are presented in the literature study (chapter 2). This provides the foundation for the comparison between the Chinese ST and the English TT, the evaluation of the translation, and subsequent conclusions. Chapters 3 and 4 present the application of the theory, divided into an analysis of the macro and microstructures respectively. Translation decisions are analysed on these two levels within the theoretical insights presented in chapter 2. It will be these chapters that provide the foundation for the research findings of this thesis. In cases where improvements of the translation are proposed, suggestions will be made and motivated by theoretical insights. The final chapter (chapter 5) will answer the research questions in detail, based on the individual analyses made in chapters 3 and 4 and motivate these answers based mainly on the translation theories of Nord and Venuti. These answers as well as the suggestions for an improved translation are the main contributions that this thesis makes to translation studies. Lastly, suggestions for further research are made in order to stimulate further research on English translations produced in China.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In hierdie tesis word die Engelse vertaling van The true story of Ah Q geanaliseer. Met die studie word daar onder meer gepoog om, deur die toepassing van nuwe vertaalteorieë soos dié van Christiane Nord en Lawrence Venuti, en deur die illustrasie van die teorieë se toepasbaarheid, daartoe by te dra dat dié teorieë meer in China aanvaar word. Die skoposteorie en die konsepte domestikering (‘domestication’) en vervreemding (‘foreignisation’) verteenwoordig die vernaamste vertaalteorieë waarop hierdie tesis berus. Ter aanvang van die studie word die hipotese gestel dat die vertalers ’n domestikerende inslag aan die Engelse teks gegee het. Dit word gebaseer op die mening van Venuti wat glo dat die meerderheid Engelse vertalings ’n domestikerende weergawe van die oorspronklike teks verteenwoordig. Die twee primêre probleemstellings wat in hierdie studie gestel word, lui soos volg: Wat is die dominante vertaalstrategie wat deur die vertalers aangewend word? Vervul hierdie strategie die skopos (met ander woorde die doelstellings van die vertaling)? Die studie doen voorts ook voorstelle vir ’n verbeterde vertaling aan die hand en stel ook ’n meer effektiewe vertaalstrategie op grond van die skopos voor. Verder stel die studie ook vas of die tweetalige format inderdaad gepas is om die bestaande skopos te verwesenlik. Volgens die nota van die uitgewer, is die doel van hierdie Chinees-Engelse weergawe van The true story of Ah Q om dié moderne Chinese klassieke werk as ’n belangrike Chinese literêre teks daar te stel. Die primêre doelstelling van die vertaling is om lesers ’n ware ervaring te gee van die omvattendheid van die Chinese kultuur. Die sekondêre doelstellings van die vertaling fokus op die aanleer van taal, sowel as op die pragmatiese waarde daarvan vir vertalers (naamlik om die vertaling as voorbeeld te neem vir toekomstige vertalings). Hierdie ondersoek sal bepaal of die vertaling wel hierde doelstellings vervul het. Die vertaalteorieë waarop die analise in hierdie tesis berus, word in die literatuurstudie (hoofstuk 2) aangebied. Dit verskaf die basis vir die vergelyking tussen die Chinese .bronteks en die Engelsedoelteks, die evaluering van die vertaling, en die daaropvolgende gevolgtrekkings. Hoofstuk 3 en 4 handel oor die toepassing van die teorie, en is verdeel in die analise van die makro- en mikrostruktuur onderskeidelik. Besluite ten opsigte van die vertaling word op hierdie twee vlakke, en op grond van die teoretiese insigte wat in hoofstuk 2 aangebied word, gëevalueer. Dit is hierdie hoofstukke wat die basis vorm vir die navorsingsresultate van hierdie tesis. In gevalle waar verbeterings vir die vertaling aangebied word, word voorstelle op grond van die relevante teoretiese insigte gegee en gemotiveer. Die slothoofstuk (hoofstuk 5) beantwoord die navorsingsvrae in groter detail en is gebaseer op die afsonderlike analises in hoofstuk 3 en 4. Motiverings vir die antwoorde op hierdie vrae word gebaseer op die vertaalteorieë van veral Nord en Venuti. Hierdie antwoorde, sowel as die voorstelle ter verbetering van die vertaling, is die primêre bydrae van hierdie tesis tot vertaalstudie in die algemeen. Ten slotte word voorstelle vir verdere navorsing gemaak om só verdere ondersoeke oor Engelse vertalings wat in China geproduseer word, te stimuleer.

Research has shown that cognates between Japanese and English have the potential to be a valuable learning tool (Daulton, 2008). Yet little is known on how Japanese learners of English produce cognates in context. Recently, studies have argued that cognates can cause a surprisingly high number of syntactic errors in sentence writing activities with Japanese learners (Rogers, Webb, & Nakata, 2014; Masson, 2013). In the present study, I investigated how Japanese learners of English understood and used true cognates (words that have equivalent meanings in both languages) and non-true cognates (words where the Japanese meaning differs in various ways from their English source words). Via quasi-replication, I analyzed participants' sentences to determine the interaction of true and non-true cognates on semantics and syntax. In an experimental study, twenty Japanese exchange students filled out a word knowledge scale of thirty target words (half true cognates and half non-true cognates) and wrote sentences for the words they indicated they knew. These sentences were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively for both semantic and syntactic errors. Sentences with true cognates were semantically accurate 86% of the time, while those with non-true cognates were accurate only 62.3% of the time, which was a statistically significant difference. When the sentences were analyzed for syntax, there was no statistically significant difference in the number of errors between true and non-true cognates, which contrasts with previous research. Qualitative analysis revealed that the most problematic syntactic issue across both cognate types was using collocations correctly. Among those collocational issues, there were clear differences in the types of errors between true and non-true cognates. True cognate target words were more likely to lead to problems with prepositional collocations, while non-true cognate target words were more likely to lead to problems with verb collocations. These results suggest that for intermediate Japanese learners of English, semantics of non-true cognates should be prioritized in learning, followed by syntax of true and non-true cognates, which should be taught according to the most problematic error types per cognate status.

Published in TESOL Quarterly a decade ago, the Academic Word List (AWL) (Coxhead, 2000) has become increasingly influential in the field of TESOL. With more than 82% of the AWL comprised of words of Latin and Greek, much of this important list logically consists of English-Spanish cognates because Spanish originated from Latin. In order to serve Spanish-speaking English language learners (SSELLs) better, their teachers need to know which AWL words are cognates. Using published sources and linguistic analysis of the 570 items in the AWL, the research in this thesis has resulted in a newly reorganized AWL divided into four categories that are more useful for our Spanish-speaking English language learners as well as their instructors, curriculum designers, and materials writers: English-Spanish true cognates, partial cognates, false cognates, and non-cognates.
ID: 029050607; System requirements: World Wide Web browser and PDF reader.; Mode of access: World Wide Web.; Thesis (M.A.)--University of Central Florida, 2010.; Includes bibliographical references (p. 110-116).
M.A.
Masters
Department of Modern Languages and Literatures
Arts and Humanities

This is a study of the broad scope of cognition verbs in Afrikaans. Firstly, the nonmetaphorical cognition verbs [e.g. ken (= know), weet (= know), dink (= think), verstaan (= understand)] are discussed and then the metaphorical cognition verbs which are subcategorized in metaphorical verbs of vision [kyk (= look), sien (= see)] and metaphorical manipulation verbs [vorm (= form), gryp (= grab), voel (= feel), vat (= take) etc.]. The study is embedded in the cognitive linguistic stance of embodiment which inter alia implies that our neurological functioning is based on feeling (which includes our sense of touch), and that the way our bodies are structured also determines the way we express our thoughts. This extensive descriptive study of Afrikaans cognition verbs, metaphorical and nonmetaphorical, indicates that visual lexemes in Afrikaans express subtle abstract thought, while manipulation lexemes express less subtle, yet still abstract result-driven thought. Synthesis is an important factor in this study because the non-metaphorical cognition verbs as well as the metaphorical cognition verbs are linked to the basic cognitive principle of embodiment. Also, the two metaphorical verb types can by seen in synthesis when the stage frame ( = vision) and the workshop frame ( = manipulation) are merged. The synthesis of the stage frame and the workshop frame eventually provides us with another perspective, namely that vision and manipulation (which includes touch and feeling) are in a state of interacting nurturing symbiosis.
Linguistics
D. Litt. et Phil (Linguistics)

Text in Afrikaans
In hierdie verhandeling word 'n voorlopige bestekopname van Afrikaanse ekosentriese komposita aangebied. Die korpus waaruit voorbeeldmateriaal geput is, sluit leksikografiese en akademiese werke, asook die spreektaal in. Na aanleiding van 'n komparatiewe bespreking van morfologiese, kategoriale en semantiese onderskeidingskenmerke van ekso- en endosentriese komposita, word daar tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat die onderskeid tussen eksosentriese en endosentriese lekseme noodsaaklik is. Eksosentriese komposita word deurgaans bespreek as 'n prototipiese kategorie, met kern- en randelemente. Anders as by endosentriese samestellings, ontbreek 'n hipnimie-relasie tussen prototipiese eksosentriese samestellings en enige van hul konstituente. Alhoewel eksosentriese komposita uiteraard dubbelsinnig en semanties ondeursigtig is, is die ondeursigtighied gradeerbaar, vanaf redelik deursigtig tot heeltemal ondeursigtig. 'n Inventaris word aangebied van eksosentriese samestellings, soos dit verdeel kan word in subgroepe op grond van ontstaanswyses, semantiese kenmerke en strukturele kenmerke van die woorde. Ten slotte word die verdere studie van funksionele aspekte van eksosentriese komposita in die vooruitsig gestel.
Afrikaans & Theory of Literature
M.A. (Afrikaans)

Text in Afrikaans
An account of certain functional aspects of Afrikaans exocentric compounds is presented in this dissertation. This study builds on the preliminary survey presented in the dissertation 'n Korpusanalise van Afrikaanse eksosentriese komposita (Van Niekerk, 2001). Exemplary material is obtained from an extensive corpus, consisting of lexicographical and academic matter, as well as colloquial spoken language. Language is man's primary means of communication, used to convey knowledge and information. Lexical items are used to name and refer to all kinds of concepts, aspects, objects, persons and other references. Of particular importance to this study, however, is the expressive functionality of language, whereby it is used as an instrument to voice affect, judgement, opinion, perception and other emotional aspects. Exocentric compounds are singled out as lexemes of particular importance, utilized by Afrikaans speakers/writers to express themselves referentially and emotionally. In this study the researcher has endeavored to describe and explain certain aspects of exocentric compounds in terms of the cognitive process of conceptual blending, as explained in The way we think by Fauconnier and Turner (2003). Exocentric compounding is highly functional with regard to etnobiological naming of botanic and zoological references, especially as bahuvrihi compounds. More prominent, however, is the use of compounds to voice a wide variety of expressive values and connotations, both positive and negative. Humor is constantly referred to as probably the most important function of exocentric compounds. Other expressive functional aspects of exocentric compounds are discussed, such as insult, scorn and ridicule in nicknames and slurs, the softening effect of euphemism in contrast to the intensifying effect of dysphemism, idiomaticity, irony, et cetera, some of these aspects overlapping significantly. Exocentric compounds are creatively used as highly descriptive expressions in the informal register of colloquial Afrikaans, as well as in different dialects and sociolinguistic varieties. Based on observations in connection with the diverse use and optimal functionality of exocentric compounds in domains of every possible kind, the conclusion is reached that exocentric compounds is an essential part of the Afrikaans lexicon.
Afrikaans & Theory of Literature
D.Litt. et Phil.(Afrikaans)

Dissertação de mestrado integrado em Psicologia
Estudos que explorem o papel das similaridades interlinguísticas na aquisição de palavras cognatas são escassos (Comesaña et al., 2012a). Para explorar esta questão, manipulámos o efeito da fonologia e ortografia durante a aquisição de vocabulário novo em Catalão em falantes nativos de Português Europeu (PE). No método 1, as palavras em Catalão foram apresentadas de forma escrita e auditiva, enquanto que no método 2, apenas auditivamente. Participaram na experiência 25 adultos (23 mulheres, Midade = 21.21, DP = 1.23) e 42 crianças (22 do sexo feminino, Midade = 10.62, DP =0.49). Os participantes realizaram uma tarefa auditiva de decisão lexical go/no-go em dois momentos: após a aprendizagem e uma semana depois. Os resultados revelaram vantagem das palavras cognatas sobre as não cognatas e modulações no processamento de palavras em função do método de aprendizagem. Estas modulações variaram em função da idade dos participantes. Adicionalmente, o processamento de palavras cognatas foi modulado pelo grau de partilha formal (tempos de resposta e percentagem de erro diminuíram de maior a menor semelhança fonológica e ortográfica) em ambas populações. Os resultados foram discutidos à luz do modelo BIA+ de reconhecimento visual de palavras (Dijkstra & van Heuven, 2002; Dijkstra et al., 2010).
Studies exploring the role of cross-language similarities in cognate word acquisition are scarce (Comesaña et al., 2012a). We aimed to explore this issue by manipulating the interplay of orthography and phonology during the early stages of Catalan word acquisition in native speakers of European Portuguese (EP). In method 1, Catalan words were presented in auditory and written modalities along with EP translations, whereas in method 2 they were auditory presented. Twenty-five adults (23 female, Mage = 21.21, SD = 1.23) and forty-two children (22 female, Mage = 10.62, SD = 0.49) participated in the experiment. Participants performed a go/no-go lexical decision task in two moments: after learning and a week later. Results revealed an advantage of cognates relative to noncognates on the percentage of errors (%E) and modulations in word processing as a function of the learning method which varied with participant’s age. Moreover, results showed that the processing of cognates was modulated by the degree of cross-language similarity (response times and error percentages decrease as the degree of O and P overlap increases) in both populations. The results were discussed within the BIA+ model of bilingual visual word recognition (Dijkstra & van Heuven, 2002; Dijkstra et al., 2010).

This study contributes to a better understanding of receptive multilingualism by determining similarities and differences in successful processing of written and spoken cognate words in an unknown but (closely) related language. We investigate two Slavic languages with regard to their mutual intelligibility. The current focus is on the recognition of isolated Bulgarian words by Russian native speakers in a cognate guessing task, considering both written and audio stimuli. The experimentally obtained intercomprehension scores show a generally high degree of intelligibility of Bulgarian cognates to Russian subjects, as well as processing difficulties in case of visual vs. auditory perception. In search of an explanation, we examine the linguistic factors that can contribute to various degrees of written and spoken word intelligibility. The intercomprehension scores obtained in the online word translation experiments are correlated with (i) the identical and mismatched correspondences on the orthographic and phonetic level, (ii) the word length of the stimuli, and (iii) the frequency of Russian cognates. Additionally we validate two measuring methods: the Levenshtein distance and the word adaptation surprisal as potential pr