This term paper aims to investigate whether COVID-related neologisms follow common formation principles in order to achieve high productivity. First, the social media platform Twitter needs to be presented as the consulted platform in online communication. Next, the term neologism will be introduced and defined in order to have a clear understanding of this phenomenon. After that, word-formation processes will be described to gain an overview of the underlying linguistic concepts. For the actual research question, it is important to have a look at Bernd Kortmann’s model of word-formation processes (2020). The next section will deal with the data and the method chosen for the following analysis. Afterwards, the results will be discussed and evaluated for the purpose of drawing a conclusion on the productivity when dealing with neologisms in times of COVID-19. Finally, the key findings of this paper will be briefly summarized by taking up the research question whether Kortmann’s model applies to COVID-related neologisms.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Theoretical background
2.1 Concept of the medium Twitter
2.2 Definition of Neologisms
2.3 Productivity of Word-Formation Processes
3. Data & Methodology
4. Analysis
4.1 Quantitative Analysis
4.2 Qualitative Analysis
5. Discussion
6. Conclusion
Objectives and Research Themes
The primary objective of this paper is to examine how COVID-19-related neologisms are formed and whether their creation follows the word-formation principles established in Bernd Kortmann’s model of productivity. The research investigates the linguistic adaptation triggered by the pandemic, focusing on Twitter-based data to determine the frequency and nature of various formation processes.
- Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on linguistic evolution and vocabulary expansion.
- Role of social media platforms, specifically Twitter, as a catalyst for neologism creation.
- Analysis of word-formation processes such as blending, compounding, and initialisms.
- Application of Kortmann’s classification to evaluate the productivity of these linguistic transformations.
Excerpt from the Book
2.2 Definition of Neologisms
As a result of new technologies and new media, a great number of new words have enriched the English vocabulary. Most of them have their origin on social media, among others (Mattiello 2017: 27). Based on this, it is necessary to deal with the concept of neologisms. How can neologisms be defined?
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, a neologism is “a word or phrase which is new to the language” (OED, 2022). The term is derived from the French word néologisme. Originally, the two Greek words neos and logos contributed to the formation of the French model. While neos means ‘new’, the term logos means ‘word’. Brought together, the original meaning of a neologism is ‘new word’.
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, neologisms have arisen fast. Various new words have occurred. Concerning this, word-formation processes are of great importance.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Outlines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on language and introduces the study's aim to investigate COVID-related neologisms on Twitter using Kortmann's model.
2. Theoretical background: Provides an overview of Twitter as a medium for communication, defines neologisms, and explains word-formation processes and their productivity based on Kortmann’s framework.
3. Data & Methodology: Details the criteria for selecting the corpus of 40 COVID-related neologisms from Twitter and outlines the quantitative and qualitative analytical approaches.
4. Analysis: Presents findings from the corpus, showing that blending and compounding are the most frequent word-formation processes, followed by a qualitative breakdown of specific examples.
5. Discussion: Evaluates the study results against Kortmann's model, noting that while his productivity classification does not perfectly align with the data, these processes are increasingly significant.
6. Conclusion: Summarizes that pandemic-related neologisms rely heavily on blending and compounding, suggesting a need for further research into why less productive processes are gaining importance.
Keywords
Neologisms, COVID-19, Word-formation, Twitter, Productivity, Blending, Compounding, Linguistics, Social Media, Pandemic, Language Change, Morphology, Kortmann, Initialisms, Vocabulary Expansion
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary subject of this research paper?
The paper investigates linguist neologisms that emerged on the social media platform Twitter as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
What are the central thematic areas?
The core themes include linguistic innovation during crises, the impact of the pandemic on everyday language, and the evolution of social media discourse.
What is the core research question?
The research asks whether COVID-19-related neologisms follow standard word-formation principles as defined by Bernd Kortmann’s model of productivity.
Which scientific method is applied?
The study utilizes a two-fold approach: a quantitative analysis of 40 specific new words to determine process frequency, and a qualitative analysis to explain the structural transformations of selected examples.
What topics are discussed in the main body?
The main body covers the theoretical principles of Twitter communication, the linguistic definitions of neologisms, the classification of word-formation techniques, and a comprehensive analysis of the identified COVID-related corpus.
Which keywords define this work best?
Key terms include Neologisms, COVID-19, Twitter, Word-formation, Productivity, Blending, and Compounding.
How is Twitter specifically defined in this context?
Twitter is categorized as computer-mediated communication, where character limits and hashtag functionalities serve as specific technological drivers for linguistic creativity.
Why are "blending" and "compounding" so prominent in the findings?
The findings suggest that these two processes are the most productive for users, allowing them to effectively synthesize complex social experiences of the pandemic into single, shareable terms.
How does the author characterize "lockdown" neologisms?
The author identifies that terms like "locktail" or "lockstalgia" represent the integration of restrictive daily life measures into the English vocabulary through creative blending and compounding.
Does Kortmann’s model fully explain the data?
The study concludes that Kortmann’s model does not provide a perfect fit for all COVID-related neologisms, highlighting a discrepancy between his theoretical classification and actual linguistic developments on social media.
- Quote paper
- Vassilios Tsimplis (Author), 2021, Neologisms in times of COVID-19, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1563192
