What is rebracketing in linguistics? (21)(Malay/Indonesian)

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 Malay/Indonesian:

Almari:

Original form: “Almari” (derived from the Portuguese “armário,” meaning “cupboard”)

Rebracketed form: Became “almari” in Malay, where “al” was reanalyzed as part of the noun.

Lembu:

Original form: “L’embu” (originally from Sanskrit, meaning “ox”)

Rebracketed form: Became “lembu,” where the original morpheme boundaries shifted.

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