What is rebracketing in linguistics? (13)(Portuguese)‎

Here are some examples that show how rebracketing can influence not just the forms of words but their meanings and even how new words are created in a language.

In Portuguese:

Almofada:

Original form: “al-mukhadda” (from Arabic, meaning “pillow”)

Rebracketed form: Became “almofada,” integrating the Arabic article “al” into the Portuguese word.

Algodao:

Original form: “al-qutun” (from Arabic, meaning “cotton”)

Rebracketed form: Became “algodao,” where “al” is treated as part of the word.

Rebracketing is a widespread linguistic phenomenon that can significantly influence the evolution of languages across different cultures.