Perhaps it won't be easy to understand that thread unless you PRINT and keep it to read several times. I'd explain with an example:
When Americans went to Japan for the first time they didn't know the pronunciation of the word 'do itashimashite' meaning "you're welcome" after "thanks" (arigato). So they used a similar PHONEMA "don't touch my moustache" which gives a reasonable similar sound if spoken fast. Languages use that all the time. In Brazil they write the Portuguese word "time" (sound as if saying "tchi meh") but actually is borrowed from English word "team" which is what it means. In Japan they adapted English word "ice cream" for "ai sukurimu". Spanish does have 4.000 Arabic words incorporated in the language!