This research focuses on the linguistic field of morphology, investigating neologisms that emerged due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Firstly, morphological terms and definitions are presented in order to explain how these words were created, followed by a thorough explanation of how neologisms are formed through word-formation processes. Then, this study inspects a corpus of hundred neologisms related to the coronavirus to examine through which types of word-formation they were produced. In addition, the research aims to figure out what processes are the most productive regarding these Covid-inspired words. Finally, the results are discussed and tabulated.
At the beginning of 2020, the infectious coronavirus disease, caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, spread globally and turned into a worldwide pandemic (Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), n.d.). As a result, not only did the virus cause six million deaths and a socio-economic crisis, but it also influenced the English language (WHO Coronavirus (COVID-19) Dashboard, n.d.). The human language is always changing and evolving because it needs to adapt to the changing needs of its speakers (Birner, n.d.). Eventually, certain developments such as the outbreak of the coronavirus will automatically lead to a linguistic change in unpredictable ways (Crystal, 2003). Since individuals had to face social distancing, lockdowns, quarantines, and the dangers of the coronavirus itself, a vast number of neologisms, meaning new words in a certain language, emerged in order to describe the changing realities (Yule, 1996). Such a change in language can influence “formal linguistic aspects of phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics”, as well as non-linguistic factors of pragmatic and social aspects of language (Al-Salman & Haider, 2021).
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 Morphological Terms and Definitions
3 Word-Formation Processes
3.1 Morphemic Word-Formation Processes
3.1.1 Derivational Affixation
3.1.2 Compounding
3.1.3 Conversion
3.1.4 Back-Formation
3.2 Non-Morphemic Word-Formation Processes
3.2.1 Clipping
3.2.2 Blending
3.2.3 Initialism
3.2.4 Borrowing
3.2.5 Coinage
4 Data and Methods
5 Results
6 Conclusion
Research Objectives & Themes
This study investigates the linguistic phenomenon of neologisms that emerged during the Covid-19 pandemic, focusing on the morphological processes through which these words were formed. The research aims to categorize a corpus of one hundred Covid-related terms and examine the productivity of various word-formation processes compared to established linguistic theories.
- Morphological analysis of pandemic-related vocabulary.
- Distinction between morphemic and non-morphemic word-formation patterns.
- Evaluation of productivity in word-formation processes (e.g., compounding, blending).
- Comparative analysis with previous linguistic studies on Covid-neologisms.
Excerpt from the Book
3.1.1 Derivational Affixation
According to Yule, derivational affixation is the most productive word-formation process in the English language describing the creation of a new lexeme by affixation (1996, p. 69). In other words, by attaching a prefix or suffix, or both to a word, the meaning of its base changes and a new derivative is created (Kortmann, 2020, p. 53). Usually, affixes are bound morphemes that are not listed separately in dictionaries (Yule, 1996, p. 69). The difference between prefixation and suffixation is that prefixes always precede the base, while suffixes follow the base (Kortmann, 2020, p. 53). In addition, English prefixes count as derivational affixes because they always create a new lexeme, however, suffixes can be both derivational and inflectional (Kortmann, 2020, p. 53).
As an example, the Covid-related neologism masklessness is a complex word in which the two suffixes -less and -ness are attached to the free morpheme mask. Here, the adjective-forming suffix -less changes the noun into the adjective maskless, describing individuals not wearing a face mask to protect themselves and others from the highly infectious coronavirus. Then, the noun-forming suffix -ness is attached, changing the adjective to the noun masklessness, describing the act of not wearing a mask itself.
Nevertheless, Kortmann states that not all derivational suffixes change the word class since certain suffixes form nouns from nouns or adjectives from adjectives (2020, p. 62). For instance, the noun lockdowners was created by adding a noun-forming derivational suffix -er to the noun lockdown followed by the inflectional suffix -s indicating the plural form. Furthermore, there are no derivational suffixes in the English language that form verbs from verbs (Kortmann, 2020, p. 62).
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: This chapter outlines the global emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic and its subsequent influence on the English language through the creation of new terms.
2 Morphological Terms and Definitions: This chapter establishes the fundamental linguistic framework, defining concepts such as morphemes, lexemes, and the distinction between free and bound morphemes.
3 Word-Formation Processes: This section provides a comprehensive overview of how new words are created, detailing both morphemic methods like compounding and non-morphemic methods like blending and clipping.
4 Data and Methods: This chapter describes the methodology for selecting a corpus of one hundred neologisms from Tony Thorne’s glossary and the analytical framework used to classify them.
5 Results: This chapter presents the statistical findings regarding the frequency and productivity of the different word-formation processes identified in the Covid-related corpus.
6 Conclusion: This final chapter synthesizes the research findings, confirming the dominance of compounding and blending and reflecting on the evolution of language during crisis periods.
Keywords
Morphology, Neologisms, Word-formation, Covid-19, Compounding, Blending, Derivation, Clipping, Initialism, Borrowing, Coinage, Linguistic change, Lexemes, Productivity, Corpus linguistics
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The research focuses on the morphological analysis of neologisms that emerged as a direct consequence of the Covid-19 pandemic, examining the structural patterns used to create these new terms.
What are the primary themes addressed in the work?
The work covers morphological theory, the classification of word-formation processes, the productivity of these processes within a specific corpus, and the contextual evolution of language during a global crisis.
What is the primary goal of the study?
The primary goal is to examine a corpus of hundred Covid-related neologisms to determine which word-formation processes are the most productive and to see if these findings align with established linguistic classifications by scholars like Kortmann.
Which scientific methodology does the author apply?
The author uses a corpus-based linguistic approach, analyzing a selected set of terms from a glossary and classifying them into specific word-formation categories, modeled after previous research in the field.
What topics are discussed in the main body?
The main body covers theoretical definitions of morphological units, detailed explanations of morphemic and non-morphemic word-formation processes, and the empirical analysis and discussion of the gathered Covid-19 neologisms.
Which keywords define this work?
Key terms include morphology, neologisms, compounding, blending, word-formation, and productivity, reflecting the study's focus on linguistic structure creation.
How does the productivity of processes found here compare to standard linguistic theory?
The study finds that while compounding is highly productive as expected, blending occurs much more frequently than standard theory typically suggests for these types of neologisms.
Is every word "new" or are existing words modified?
The research concludes that with the exception of the coinage "Covid-19", most analyzed neologisms were actually formed by applying word-formation processes to terms that already existed before the pandemic.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Marvin Loye (Autor:in), 2022, An Analysis of Neologisms and Word-Formation Processes related to Covid-19, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1243975
