Even though the words "Coronavirus, Covid-19, Rona and Sars-CoV-2" refer to the same disease, they are used in slightly different context throughout the media. This paper will focus on why we use different terms synchronously to refer to one novel disease. Moreover, this paper will have a look at the differences between the words, in which context and how often they are used.
After scanning previous literature concerning this topic, I was able to formulate two hypothesis.
One: The different terms fit different academic levels and are used in distinctive situations. (e.g. "Sars-CoV-2" main use in scientific fields, "Rona" more informal in everyday expressions)
Two: The shorter a word is, the more it is used to refer to the virus.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Literature review
3. Methodology
4. Data analysis and results
4.1 Comparison of appearance
4.2 Collocations
5. Discussion
6. Conclusion
Research Objective and Scope
This paper explores the linguistic phenomenon of neologisms surrounding the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, specifically investigating why various terms are used interchangeably to describe the same disease. The study focuses on the frequency, context, and usage patterns of selected terms to understand how language adapts to global crises.
- Analysis of four primary terms: Coronavirus, Covid-19, Rona, and Sars-CoV-2.
- Examination of word frequency using the Coronavirus Corpus.
- Comparative analysis of term usage across different academic and social contexts.
- Investigation into term-specific collocations to determine register and usage trends.
- Evaluation of two specific hypotheses regarding language use in crisis situations.
Excerpt from the Book
1. Introduction
Our lives are currently turned upside down, as nothing works as it normally would, due to the ongoing SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Starting as an unknown but severe respiratory disease in Wuhan in China in December 2019, it wasn´t until January 2020 that the virus had been identified as the so called Covid -19. The symptoms are highly variable and range from faint cold-like experiences up to severe respiratory distress and in many cases even death. By spreading over the country´s borders it soon was detected in many different states around the globe. With fast rising infections and daunting increasing death numbers, the World Health Organisation (WHO) was obligated to announce a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on 30 January 2020 and later in March to update the term to a global pandemic.
All the mentioned aspects lead to severe changes in people´s lives and with changing their daily routines, linguists could also detect differences in language: new words, phrases and expressions expanded the vocabulary. Many neologisms emerged to fill in gaps, which developed by opening a whole new field of science. Therefore the coinage of words enabled people to reflect and process their individual experiences of the new life in lockdown. From the perspective of a linguist, this last aspect is especially meaningful, as it demonstrates the dynamic potential of language, dependant on various variable factors (cf. Katherine B. Akut 2020: 2). Most emerging words are used to describe new daily routines in presence of the virus in order to cope in this crisis.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Outlines the impact of the pandemic on global life and introduces the linguistic research focus regarding emerging pandemic-related terminology.
2. Literature review: Reviews existing linguistic studies on Covid-19 neologisms and justifies the need for a focused analysis on the specific nomenclature of the virus.
3. Methodology: Describes the use of the Coronavirus Corpus and the quantitative approach to analyzing word frequency and collocations.
4. Data analysis and results: Presents the findings regarding the frequency of specific terms and their distinct collocations based on corpus data.
4.1 Comparison of appearance: Details the trends in term usage over time, highlighting the dominance of certain expressions in media and scientific contexts.
4.2 Collocations: Analyzes the specific words that appear alongside the chosen terms, providing evidence for their respective usage registers.
5. Discussion: Interprets the research results in the context of the initial hypotheses and explains the sociolinguistic reasons for term selection.
6. Conclusion: Summarizes the findings and suggests potential areas for future linguistic research regarding pandemic-induced language change.
Keywords
Neologisms, Covid-19, SARS-CoV-2, Coronavirus, Rona, Linguistics, Corpus Linguistics, Pandemic, Word Formation, Sociolinguistics, Language Change, Collocations, Media, Vocabulary, Crisis Communication
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary subject of this research?
The research examines the emergence of different neologisms used to refer to the same virus during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.
Which terms are central to this study?
The study centers on the terms "Coronavirus," "Covid-19," "Rona," and "Sars-CoV-2."
What is the main goal of the paper?
The goal is to determine why different terms are used to describe the same disease and to analyze if their usage depends on the academic or social context.
Which methodology was employed for this analysis?
The author utilized the Coronavirus Corpus to conduct a quantitative analysis of word frequency and identifying significant collocations.
What topics are covered in the main section?
The main section covers the identification of terms, a review of existing literature, data presentation through graphs, and a discussion on the register and situational usage of these terms.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include Neologisms, Corpus Linguistics, Sociolinguistics, Pandemic, and Word Formation.
Did the results confirm the author's second hypothesis?
No, the hypothesis that shorter words are used more frequently was proven false, as demonstrated by the comparison between "Rona" and "Coronavirus."
Why is "Sars-CoV-2" used less frequently than "Covid-19"?
The research suggests that "Sars-CoV-2" is a high-register term associated with scientific reporting, whereas "Covid-19" and "Coronavirus" are more prevalent in general news and daily communication.
What impact do social media platforms have on terms like "Rona"?
The author notes that "Rona" is predominantly used in colloquial conversations and social media, explaining its low frequency within the formal Coronavirus corpora.
How does the author suggest future studies could improve?
The author recommends expanding the scope by including more data sources, analyzing spelling discrepancies, and examining longer multi-word expressions.
- Quote paper
- Anonym (Author), 2020, Neologism and Covid-19. Why do we use different terms for the same novel disease?, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1161519
