Corpus analysis of Kichwa lexemes in the Spanish-language media discourse of Ecuador (2019–2024) based on CORPHA

The article examines the functioning of Kichwa lexical elements in Spanish-language media discourse of Ecuador based on data from the national corpus CORPHA (2019–2024). The study is relevant due to the increasing role of indigenous languages in shaping national identity and the growing interest in language contact phenomena in multicultural societies. The Ecuadorian media space represents a dynamic environment where Kichwa-origin lexemes – pachamama, minga, runa, ayllu, and sumak kawsay – act as cultural symbols and markers of collective memory. The aim of the research is to analyze the frequency, genre distribution, and semantic connotations of these lexemes, as well as to identify the main tendencies of their adaptation within Spanish-language discourse. The empirical basis of the study is the national corpus CORPHA, which contains materials from print media, online publications, and cultural-educational texts. The research methodology combines corpus search techniques, quantitative and contextual-semantic analysis, and genre classification. The findings reveal that Kichwa lexemes are increasingly integrated into contemporary communication, maintaining predominantly positive or neutral evaluative connotations. Pachamama functions as a sacral and ecological symbol, minga as a metaphor of social cooperation, runa as an identity marker, ayllu as a representation of family and community ties, and sumak kawsay as an ideological construct of sustainable development. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the application of a corpus-based approach to the semantic dynamics of indigenous elements in modern Ecuadorian Spanish discourse. The practical value of the research consists in its potential use in courses on sociolinguistics, contact linguistics, and corpus analysis.