NEOLOGISMS IN PRESENT-DAY ENGLISH TRACED IN WRITTEN AND SPOKEN LANGUAGE

УДК

NEOLOGISMS IN PRESENT-DAY ENGLISH TRACED IN WRITTEN AND SPOKEN LANGUAGE

Moldyraimova Sayash

Teacher of school No 244 named after Y.Zhakhaev

Abstract

The emphasis of this article is to analyze the neologisms in present-day English. We have considered the definition of neologism in terms of four basic concepts. Scrutinizing the works of Baue, Peprnik (2006), Whereas, Crystal (2002), Crystal (2004), Quirk et al. (2006), Pullum (2003) we have tried to introduce the problems of describing the term “neologism”. As well as, this work is focused on neologisms traced both in written and spoken language. Formation of neologism in terms of course of time is mentioned in this work. In conclusion we give the frequency of occurrence of neologisms and compared their formation ways in terms of classification of compounds.

Key words: Neologisms, word-formation, vocabulary growth

Аннотация

В данной статье были рассмотрены «Неологизм» в соответствии с четырьмя понятиями и проанализированы их использование в современном английском языке. Изучены работы ученых Bauer (2006), Crystal (2002, 2004), Quirk et al. (2006), Pullum (2003), определены проблемы описания и определения слова «неологизм». Кроме того, в работе особое внимание уделено неологизмам, используемым в письменном и разговорном языке, их частотное использование во временных частотах и создана таблица классификации неологизмов.

Ключевые слова: неологизмы, словообразование, рост словаря

Түйіндеме

Мақалада басты мәселе ретінде ағылшын тілінде күні қазір кездесетін неологизмдер қарастырылған. «Неологизм» сөзінің анықтамасы төрт ұғымның төңірегінде қарастырылады. Бауе мен Пепрник (2006), Уериас пен Кристал (2002), Кристал (2004), Паламның (2003) жұмыстарына сүйене отырып, «неологизм» сөзінің бір нақты анықтамасы жоқтығы қарастырылады. Сонымен қатар, жұмыста жазбаша және ауызша тілде жиі қолданылатын неологизмдерге көңіл бөлінген, олардың уақыт жиілігіне қарай қолдану жиілігі мен олардың жасалу жолына талдау жасалған.

Кілт сөздер: неологизмдер, сөз жасау, сөздік қорының өсуі

Actually, neologisms are an inseparable part of our everyday contact with language. They are found in our everyday life in both speech and written texts. Language is studied in different points of view. One of its interesting areas of study is neologisms, word-formation in present day. It deserves special attention by its topicality as well as among English language teachers. New expressions are entering our life by the influence of media, being unaware of its meaning can lead us to the wrong perception of words. In this respect, we have decided to investigate the neologisms met in newspapers and media sources.

We are aware of dynamic structure of language is neologisms. We would like to prove mainly the reflection of it in the current situation. Language gives us not only the facts, we have already known, but also the new additional meanings of existing words. They come from word combinations form existing words or by inventing the new ones.

Neologisms is the combination of two Greek words, they are neo and logos, which can be translated as “new speech or utterance”. I want to describe neologism by using four basic concepts of it. They are a word, lexeme, neologism and nonce-formation. We have found different definitions of the word “neologism” given by linguists, neither of them is perfectly valid nor the only possible and acceptable one.

Firstly, the word is not the easy notion to define even by the professional linguists. Bauer, Peprnik (2006) state that the word is language specific, thus one word in Latin can be translated into English by using two or three word terms. Peprník’s (2006) definition of the word is given as follows: “word is a combination of sounds, or its representation in writing, that symbolizes and communicates a meaning”[1;8]. Whereas, Crystal (2002) describes the word as “the smallest unit of grammar which can stand alone as a complete utterance”[2;366]. He distinguishes items in written language and phonological one.

Quirk et al. (2006) considers the words as the lexical items. He believes that word doesn’t give the special meaning separately, for instance, the idioms with two or more words can have only one function or meaning.

The last definition of the word I have considered is given by Huddleston and Pullum (2003). They emphasize that word should be defined in terms of major concepts of it. They are: lexical and syntactic words. For example, am/is/are/was/were/be or have/has/had/having are syntactically different, even so they are lexically carries one meaning and the form of the same lexeme.

As I have noticed the definition can be given differently in accordance with the scholar or the linguist. I agree with the definition of Crystal (2004) and accept it.

Secondly, I want to consider the second basic concept “lexeme”. The abstract unit “lexeme” has already discussed upon. It is the smallest distinctive unit, which can exist as a single word or as phrasal verbs or idioms. Crystal (2004) proposes the definition: “a lexeme is a unit of lexical meaning, which exists regardless of any inflectional endings it may have or the number of words it may contain”[3;118]. Bauer (2002) and Peprník (2006) share the similar view. We can state that the word and lexeme have different cores.

Thirdly, the term “neologism” is usually used to notice that the word is new and it has different meaning than the usual one. I have already mentioned that the neologism can be formulated as the new combinations, word combinations, and abbreviations or newly invented ones.

First of all we need to consider, which words can be called neologisms. Words have the time boundaries. Neologisms are the words, which have been used last 20 years and should exist in present-day English. Mair (2006) states “The most salient type of neologism is a word which is new in its form and which refers to a concept which is new”. [4;38] According to that we can consider that the new concept is either borrowed or formed in terms of word-formation process rules. Whereas Čermák (2010), Peprník (2006) believe that the neologism is a change or transfer of meaning of already established words. The change in meaning in the course of time and not created one can change the word class.

Plag (2005) differentiates the concept of hapax legomenon, which is using the word for a single occasion invented by the author. Peprník (2006) agrees with his hypothesis proved by the large proportion of neologism he has considered during his investigation. Peprník comments that the new words firstly usually used in informal languages.

In addition, Crystal (2004) usually uses the term coinage as synonymous with the neologism, thus the context of it required to get the reasonable explanation. It remains new till the speakers start to use it automatically, however depends on whereas it survives or dies out.

Neologisms are created to describe the new reality, to reflect new innovations and progress of science. (Filipec and Čermák, 1985). Culture changes are based on technology, political situation and social trends. Every year scientists comes up with new ideas, experiences and inventions. They all need explanation and expression, which can be used in conversation. According to the rapid progress in computing, science and technology, we can find a huge base of neologisms in news and media.

Last but not least, I would like to write about nonce formation, which is referred to the new word coined by the speaker at the spur moment. The situation, which we cannot describe the imagined one, we accidentally use the new word suitable just for the single occasion. Herbst gives the following description for that word: Numerically, nonce formations may well be a much more important phenomenon of language use than it is often given credit for”[5;p.118] Nonce formation occur in a high literary texts. Well-known new word inventors were James Joyce and Lewis Carroll. (Crystal, 2004).

There is no study which would deal with nonce formation, they are commonly met in newspapers headlines. Quirk et al. (2006) uses the words like guidanceless (analogous with parentless), snow-cream (ice-cream), and coolth (warmth).

Neologisms can be also words borrowed from another language, i.e. borrow or integrate them into their tongue. As we have already mentioned we have two alternatives of constructing new words, they are combining two or more words or delete morphemes. For instance, Facebook, Youtube, Eurovision, Eurostar, Coldplay, which are made by combination of two words, as well as e-pay, K-pop, e-book, e-library, iPad and etc. We get new meanings modifying words.

People can make new words without using existed words, e.g. google, holy-moly and etc. To sum up, we want to give three feasible ways as borrowing, changes in meaning and word-formation processes.

Consequently, there are loan of new words in present-English. The strongest influences for the change and borrowing of words were Latin and French. Latinized period of English was under Roman occupation. Christianity brought new words, as bishop, church, or purple. French words dominated after the Norman Conquest, which enhanced expressions as beef, parliament, village and etc. Scandinavian influence is seen in words sky, window, they and others. We decided to touch upon the history of neologisms briefly before conducting new one.

Lexical restoring can be borrowing, changes of meaning and the last one is word-formation. We have discussed the previous two. Semantic change is predicated as an extremely productive source of neologisms.

The prolific sources of neologism are creativity and productivity. Bauer gives the explanation of this phenomenon as following “the native speaker’s ability to extend the language system in a motivated, but unpredictable way”. [6;63] Renouf (2007) demonstrates the rules of creativity: difference of one phoneme (distraction); same initial letter (distraction); same prefix or same suffix (deception, obstruction); shared semantics (discomfort, terror). I implore these points rather tendencies than valid rules. They might be applicable to create the word analogy on the basis of existing lexical item.

Productivity allows native speakers to produce a huge quantity of words. The degree of productivity depends on the frequency of occurrence of individual processes. There are broad categories such as high or low productivity. Plag (2005) has made a list of premodifiers with the concept of productivity, e.g. quasi-, dormant, marginally, semi-, fully, quite, immensely, etc. The far most productive affixes are -ness and –ize) [7;53].

We can state that we have also the “major” word-formation processes. They are compounding, derivation, conversion and backformation. Especially compounding and derivation remain extremely productive in these days. In the following Figure No1 is shown the broadest category of compounds.

Figure 1 Category of compounds

Let us continue by a short analysis of neologisms in terms of compounds based on abovementioned category. It is important to notice the rule according to which the final result is given as in the following Diagram No1.

To summarize, I believe it has become obvious the neologisms construction and the problem of definition of the word “neologism” is also solved. Extremely productive word-formation process is influenced by the development of science and computation. I have found 143 neologisms, which have been investigated and the result shows that we usually use compounding word-formation process, whereas the most used category is noun+noun and adjective+noun. I have found out that to trace the cases and meanings of neologisms is rather challenging than finding them.

References

1. Peprník, J. (2006) English Lexicology. Olomouc: Univerzita Palackého. p. 8

2. Crystal, D. (2002) The Penguin Dictionary of Language. London: Penguin Books. p. 366

3. Crystal, D. (2004) The Cambridge Encyclopaedia of the English Language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p.118

4. Mair C. 2006. Twentieth-Century English. History, Variation, and Standardization. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 38

5. Herbst, T. 2010. English Linguistics. Berlin: Walter de Gruyter. p.118

6. Bauer, L. (2002) English Word-Formation. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

7. Plag, I. 2005. Word-Formation in English. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p.53

8. Filipec, J. and F. Čermák 1985.. Česká lexikologie.Praha: Academia

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12. Čermák, F (2010) Lexikon a sémantika.Praha: Lidové noviny.

13. Čermák, F (2002) Research Methods in Linguistics. Praha: Karolinum.