Currently making something illegitimate, impure, or corrupted; the ongoing process of debasing something (British spelling).
Present participle of bastardise, formed with the -ing suffix. This form emphasizes the ongoing nature of the corruption or debasement process.
The progressive form (-ing) reflects a key linguistic insight: English speakers think of some actions as continuous processes rather than single events—'bastardising' a language happens gradually as new influences seep in.
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