The usage of neologisms characterizing people in feedbacks to online English news

Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

Nizhyn Mykola Gogol state university

The usage of neologisms characterizing people in feedbacks to online English news

M.S. Holiak,

master student of the foreign languages department

Abstract

Key words: neologism, classification, Internet user, modern tendency, feedback, online English news.

Анотація

Голяк М.С.

магістрантка факультету іноземних мов Ніжинського державного університету імені Миколи Гоголя

Використання неологізмів на позначення людей у відгуках до онлайн-новин англійською мовою

Стаття присвячена аналізу неологізмів на позначення людей з позитивного чи негативного боку, які представлені у відгуках на онлайн-новини англійською мовою. Неологізми збагачують лексичний склад мови і таким чином підтверджують її динамічну природу. Неологізм - це одиниця словникового складу, слово або словосполучення, використані в мові в певний період на позначення нового чи наявного поняття або в новому значенні та які з'явилися в результаті запозичення, калькування, словосполучення, абревіації, розширення або звуження значення. Словниковий склад англійської мови постійно змінюється та поповнюється новими мовними одиницями. Найпоширенішими сферами виникнення неологізмів є ті, в яких відбуваються інновації: сучасні технології, науковий прогрес та всі ті події та фактори, які й приводять до появи неологізмів. Виокремлені у відгуках на онлайн-новини неологізми позначають користувачів Інтернету, професії та сучасні тенденції Дослідження показує, що група неологізмів, яка представляє сучасні тенденції, містить 9 прикладів, є найчисельнішою і утворена різними типами словотворення. 8 прикладів побудовані за допомогою з'єднання, і лише один приклад (Brexiteer) утворений абревіатурою. Гоупа, яка представлена 5 лінгвістичними одиниями, що позначають користувачів Інтернету, має лише один спосіб словотворення - з'єднання. Наше дослідження показує, що всі неологізми, що описують користувачів Інтернету, утворені за допомогою 2-х слів, пов'язаних між собою. А група, яка описує професії, налічує лише 3 мовні одиниці, і вони також утворені лише одним способом словотворення - словосполученням. Сучасні тенденції відображають позитивні або негативні характеристики, що стосуються людини чи групи осіб. Всі неологізми використовуються для того, щоб показати залежність від чогось, віру чи розчарування, тривогу, привабливість, зміни на краще.

Ключові слова: неологізм, класифікація, користувач Інтернету, сучасна тенденція, відгук, англійські онлайн-новини.

Main part

Nowadays new phenomena are constantly emerging. With the globalization of the world, every day we can find new words or word - combinations while reading a book or articles. The study of scientific directions for neologisms has revealed a large number of different interpretations and classifications of modern vocabulary [1, p. 34]. Neologisms can be introduced into English language because of the progress of modern science and technology, political struggle, changes in social habits, economic development [1, p. 41], which leads to the coinage of new words.

The term neologism was borrowed from French neologism and first used in English in 1772 [12]. Jaroslav Peprnik claims that «a neologism is a new word or sense of a word» [13, p. 75]. Peprnik points out that a word is language specific, i. e. there can be a one-word term, for instance, in Latin and an equivalent two or three-word term in English for the very same notion [13, p. 76].

Though neologisms in general have been studied and continue studied by many researchers, such as A.A. Kharkovska, Y.A. Zatsnyi, I.I. Murko and others [2, p. 75]. Neologisms characterizing people in online English news have not been investigated so far, so it underscores topicality of this paper.

The aim of our work is the analysis of neologisms in feedbacks of online English news.

To achieve this aim we have to solve the following tasks:

• to determine the notion of neologism;

• to single out neologisms in feedbacks to different online news;

• to classify neologisms characterizing people.

We can find neologisms in feedbacks, because here the participants of a conversation to exchange information about basic communicative functions, which are essential in human direct face-to - face communication [4, p. 2]. A. Ramaprasad defines feedback as information about the gap between the actual level and the reference level of a system parameter which is used to alter the gap in some way [13, p. 7]. In news it is reaction.

In our paper we have analyzed neologisms according to the denoted phenomena and word formation: compounding, blending, construction and acronym. One of the most widespread ways of creating new words is compounding (composition) i. e. the process of making new words by means of the words already existing in the language [6, p. 145]. Another way is blending - the process involves making new words by joining two already existing ones and combining their meanings [5, p. 159]. Constructions are stored pairings of form, meaning and function, including morphemes, words, and idioms, partially lexically filled and fully general linguistic patterns [10, p. 220]. The appearance of acronyms in the vocabulary stock of any language is determined by some factors like spread of computer technology all over the world. However, the main source of acronyms is that the internet what means that their usage is restricted to informal writing [3, p. 63].

Having analyzed 72 BBC and The Guardian news articles we have singled out 17 examples of neologisms which denote Internet users (Twitterverse, netflixaholic, smombie, Tinderella, edgelord), professions (homework therapist, break up, life extensionist, data humanist) and modern tendencies (gender-fluid generation, birth striker, smober, cyberchondriac, gender dysphoria, askhole, economatheist, Brexiteer).

Internet users are indicated by such neologisms: Twitterverse, netflixaholic, smombie, Tinderella, edgelord.

The users of social media networking are called Twitterverse, which is coined by combining one notional word (that is Twitter - social media application) and the final element of another word (universe) and as a result we have a blend Twitterverse, which means the name for the users of Twitter and the space they occupy [16], e. g. Wow, I think PewDiePie is one of the most popular person not only in Youtube, but also in the whole Twitterverse (www.bbc.com, 05.08.2011). From this example we can see that the word Twitterverse means area where there are all users of social media Twitter (Youtube). It is used to emphasize the informal communication and it makes the saying brief.

A person who has an addiction to the phone is named smombie, which is coined by combining the initial element of one word (that is smartphone) and the final element of another word (zombie) and as a result we have a blend - smombie, which means a person walking around unaware of his or her surroundings entirely absorbed in their smartphone and this word was voted Youth Word of the Year in Germany [16], e. g. Smombie is the right word to call those who stare gormlessly at their iPhone for hours and you may see them everywhere, head jammed into their little virtual world, texting/tweeting/facebooking (www.theguardian.com, 29.04.2016). In the example smombie is used to emphasize those people, who are going somewhere staring at their smartphones, like zombie (head jammed into their little virtual world, texting /tweeting / facebooking), but this word is used here in informal communication, it is very short-spoken.

Dependence on something is reflected by the neologism netflixaholic, which is formed with the help of blending with suffixation, which consists of a noun Netflix and a suffix - aholic, denoting a person addicted to something and it means a person that is so addicted to Netflix, they dedicate every spare moment of their free time in their life to watching random movies and/or TV shows on Netflix [16], e. g. I do pay for a BBC TV license and I do pay a subscription to Amazon for a Fire Stick and watched two seasons of a new serial on Netflix on a pay per view basis. I'm a real netflixaholic (www.bbc.com, 16.09.2019). This example shows somebody's addiction to Netflix, spending a lot of money on it (pay for a BBC TV license and pay a subscription to Amazon) and watching different new films or serials (two seasons of a new serial).

A user of social media is named Tinderella, which is formed by combining one notional word (mobile dating app Tinder) and the final element of another word (the classic fairytale Cinderella). After this play on words we have a blend - Tinderella who is an attractive person on Tinder. Tinderella can also refer more generally to any female Tinder user in 2013, and this word was entered on Urban Dictionary as a «really hot girl» on Tinder in October that year [9]. In this article there is a research between young people whether Tinder is really creating a «dating apocalypse», and that's true, because for someone it is even hobby and a lot of people can find their true love, e. g. It's very patronising to women to suggest that they're being exploited by Tinder. Women are seen as a bit too eager for love online, they are real Tinderella (www.theguardian.com, 16.08.2015). Here the word Tinderella is used to emphasize the beauty of a girl who is looking for love (a bit too eager for love online) and the informal communication between people.

An Internet user is represented by the neologism - edgelord that is coined by combining the initial element of one word (edgy - impatient and anxious) with the final element of another word (shitlord - a person who basks in the bitterness and misery of others), but together they mean someone who expresses opinions saying offensive or controversial things on social media in order to shock people and this term was used in 2015 [16], e. g. Oh, I believe that he doesn't contradict anti-advertising, but he is a real edgelord, he offends people writing to them not very pleasant responses and they block him (www.theguardian.com, 16.08.2015). In this sentence the word edgelord indicates a person, who writes something insulting to other users of social media (offends) and it leads to unpleasant conclusions (block).

Professions can be described by such neologisms as homework therapist, break-up concierge, and data humanist.

A person who helps kids to solve different issues is called homework therapist, which means someone whose job is to help students with their schoolwork, exams and to help them deal with issues such as stress and anxiety [7]. Having read the article about different tips how to beat stress, we have found unusual advice in student blogger shares, e. g. I know, that in New York, parents will do almost anything to keep their children under control, even pay hundreds of dollars an hour for homework therapist, and this specialized and individual approach may be no big deal for them (www.theguardian. com, 15.06.2014). Judging by this example, homework therapist describes a person who takes care of children (keep their children under control) like a nurse (even pay hundreds of dollars an hour).

One more profession is represented by the construction break-up concierge, which means a person or company whose job is helping people who ended their relationship, for example, they find a new accommodation for them and so on [7], e. g. My friend had an experience in his life with this break-up concierge company, who helped him to restart his whole life, purchase the furniture and installations, some utility changes, it was tricky, because he had been in a relationship for a long time (www.theguardian.com, 23.03.2016). In this sentence the neologisms break-up concierge denotes a company who has a goal to help families who divorced with different issues, to change their life for better and not to be depressed, because it is difficult being together for a long time (tricky).

A person who deals with information is called data humanist, which means someone who presents information in a way that is beautiful to look at and tells a story [7], e. g. Yeah, but really robots do not ask questions or practically apply knowledge - they can only do what they are programmed to do, but a human brain comes complete with much that a computer cannot deal with, e. g. change the information to look more beautiful to us, as data humanist does, unlike the robots. From this example we can see that the neologism data humanist indicates a person who tells a story better than the robot (a computer cannot deal), but who is specially trained for this (they are programmed to do).

Modern tendencies are represented by such neologisms: gender - fluid generation, birth striker, smober, cyberchondriac, gender dysphoria, askhole, life extensionist, economatheist, Brexiteer.

People who can't define their gender are named gender-fluid generation, which means not feeling as though you are only one gender (= either male or female) [8]. In this article some students like having both male and female energies and even a mix of both, in more cases boys don't identify themselves with one gender, but many young girls also wear men's clothes in order to be similar to them, e. g. Some people argue that certain characteristics are male or female so by this logic if we have characteristics that fit in both categories we are gender - fluid generation (www.theguardian.com, 23.03.2016). Judging by this example, our generation looks like gender-fluid, because nowadays there are a lot of transsexuals (certain characteristics are male or female) and unisexual marriage. It makes the communication more realistic spoken and clear to our society.

A person who can't determine his/her gender is represented by the semantic construction gender dysphoria. It makes people feel uncomfortable identifying as the gender they were born with, and feeling uncomfortable with their body. It can often make the people going through this depressed [16]. There are some services that provide the holistic treatment to the transgender patients or gender dysphoria patients, e. g. Specialised treatment sounds essential - what happens with a teenage person with gender dysphoria, who's got hold of medication off the internet, turns up (www.theguardian.com, 15.08.2017). Judging by this example, it becomes clear that there are some treatments (specialised) for this disease, even teenagers can't identify their gender (a teenage person with gender dysphoria). This word is used here to emphasize the illness and to make the saying more short-spoken.

With the intention of characterizing a woman, the construction birth striker is used, but we can't guess the meaning when we translate each word individually, it means a woman who chooses not to have children because she is concerned about the world's population being too big [7]. Judging from the article one man believes that his girlfriend will be a perfect wife, except she doesn't want kids, she wants to be child-free, but her husband tries to persuade her about parenting, e. g. Oh, yeah… my friend… is another «birth striker», deciding when she was about 21 that she didn't want to have children (www.theguardian.com, 11.11.2018). In the example the neologism birth striker is used to emphasize that even in early age (about 21) girls refuse to have children.

In order to tell that someone is a recovering nicotine addict, the acronym smober is used, where there is an initial element of the word - smoke and suffix - er, and it describes a person as being quitting the habit of smoking, and it may be a verb - the act of being nicotine free and no longer smoking; like sober for an alcoholic [16], e. g. I smoked from about ages 12-25 but I then quit - and now I am a real smober, it's taken a good 65 years from when lung cancer and smoking were first linked to get where we are now and we do see fewer smokers these days (www.bbc.com, 28.08.2019). The word smober is used in this example to show giving up a habit of smoking, even if a person has been smoking for many years (from about ages 12-25), but it has a big influence on our health (it's taken a good 65 years from when lung cancer and smoking were first linked to get where we are now).

People who believe the Internet are reflected by the compound noun cyberchondriac, which consists of simple stems - cyber and chondriac, which are independently functioning words of the same part of speech-noun, but when they are connected together, they mean a person who compulsively searches the Internet for information about particular real or imagined symptoms of illness [12]. The Internet can be a hypochondriac's worst enemy though we can find there a large amount of information about different illnesses. In most cases the symptoms will fit our diseases, but it can be deceptive, even on some medical, e. g. I fell into the cyberchondriac tendency for a while, part of the problem is that the «official' or responsible sites are acting more like lawyers than doctors. Almost every symptom leads to the same EMERGENCY! CALL AMBULANCE NOW! (www.theguardian.com, 09.10.2013). In this sentence the neologism cyberchondriac indicates a person who interprets his illnesses via the internet (sites) and jumps to wrong conclusions (EMERGENCY! CALL AMBULANCE NOW).

A person who does the opposite is called askhole that is formed by combining one notional word - ask and the final element of another word - asshole (a person who doesn't treat other people with respect) [16], and together these words form a blend - askhole, which means someone who continually asks for advice but never follows it [10], e. g. I am glad when my friends ask me for advice and I can help them, but concerning my acquaintance, he is an askhole, he always asks question only for the sake of asking questions, without following my recommendations, he makes me feel used (www.theguardian.com, 03.11.2017). In the example, the neologism askhole presents here a person who never minds pieces of advice (without following my recommendations), but likes to ask them annoying others (feel used).

People who wish to live for a long time are called life extensionist. This construction means a person who wants a longer life and believes it can be accomplished by diet, nutritional supplements, lifestyle changes, etc. [15], e. g. I am so interested in extending life not even by days or weeks, but even by centuries, for that reason I am life extensionist and I keep to all recommendations: eat and sleep well, exercise, reduce stress and rely on modern medicine to be healthier and life longer (www.theguardian.com, 23.03.2016). In this sentence the neologism life extensionist indicates a person who is obsessed with health (extending life) and does everything possible to be lively (eat and sleep well, exercise, reduce stress and rely on modern medicine).

With the aim of characterizing a person who rejects the economy, we use the compound noun economatheist, where at least one of the constituents has a reduced stem and which consists of 2 stems: economy, which is reduced and atheist which are joined together and it means a person who denies or disbelieves the existence of the economy and it was used only in 2009 for the first time [16]. Judging by the article, America's booming economy is built on hollow promises and more people don't want to believe in their words and to perceive the most obvious lies, e. g. I am not sure that there is an economy… May be I am an economatheist, and we are the most confidant voters in the world (www.theguardian.com, 02.07.2019). In this sentence, the word economatheist is used to express unbelief (I am not sure that there is an economy).

Concerning people who are connected with politics, the acronym Brexiteer is used, which consists of new word Brexit and the suffix - eer, which means someone who is in favour of the United Kingdom leaving the European Union [7], e. g. Brexit or no Brexit and irrespective of what party they belong to, pursuit of the national interests of the peoples of the UK would require that Brexiteers come forward to the UK electorate with a full account of their foreign associations and allegiances (www.theguardian.com, 28.05.2019). In this sentence the neologism Brexiteer indicates people who have to respond to British constituency (the UK electorate) with full description of their contacts and loyalty (associations and allegiances) regardless the party.

To recapitulate, neologisms characterizing people are represented by 17 linguistics units. The group of neologisms which underscores modern tendencies contains 9 examples and is the most numerous. Most of these illustrations are formed with the help of compounding and blending, only one example (Brexiteer) is formed by acronym. The group that introduces 5 linguistics units denoting Internet users has only one way of word formation that is blending. As for the group describing professions there are 3 linguistic units and they are also formed with only one way of word formation - construction. Further research in this area will be connected with differentiation of other groups of neologisms in social media communication.

Література

1. Заботкина В.И. Неологизмы в современном английском языке: учеб. пособие. Калининград: Калинингр. гос. ун-т, 1982. 79 с.

2. Зацний Ю.А. 11 вересня 2001 року і поповнення словникового складу англійської мови. Вісник Сумського державного університету. Суми, 2002. №4. С 75-79.

3. Adams V. An Introduction to Modern English Word-Formation. London: Longman, 1987. 240 p.

4. Allwood, J., Nivre, J., Ahlsйn, E. On the Semantics and Pragmatics of Linguistic Feedback. Journal of Semantics. 1992. Volume 9. Issue 1. P. 1-26.

5. Arnold I.V. The English Word. Лексикология современного английского языка: учеб. для ин-тов и фак. иностр. яз. 3-е изд., перераб. и доп. Москва: Высш. шк., 1986. 295 с.

6. Bauer L. English word formation. Cambridge University Press, 1983. 191 p.

7. Cambridge Dictionary URL: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/ru/ (accessed 08.11.2019).

8. Collins Dictionary. URL: https://www.collinsdictionary.com/

9. Dictionary. com. URL: https://www.dictionary.com/ (accessed 08.11.2019).

10. Goldberg, A.E. Constructions. A New Theoretical Approach to Language. 2003. Vol. 7. Issue 5. P. 219 -224.

11. Macmillan Dictionary. URL: https://www.macmillandictionary.com/ (accessed 08.11.2019).

12. Oxford Dictionary. URL: https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/

13. Peprnfk, J. English Lexicology. Olomouc: Univerzita Palackйho v Olomouci, 2006. 186 p.

14. Ramaprasad A. On the definition of feedback. Behavioural Science. 1983. Vol. 28 (1). Issue 13. P. 4 -13.

15. The Free Dictionary. URL: https://www.thefreedictionary.com/ (accessed 08.11.2019).

16. Urban Dictionary. URL: https://www.urbandictionary.com/

References

1. Zabotkina V.I. Neolohismy v sovremennom anhliiskom yazyke: ucheb. Posobiie. Kalininhrad: Kalininhrad. hos. un-h, 1982. 79 s.

2. Zatsnyi Yu. A. 11 veresnia 2001 roku i popovnenia slovnykovoho skladu anhliiskoi movy. Visnyk Sumskoho derzhavnoho universytetu. Sumy, 2002. №4. S 75-79.

3. Adams V. An Introduction to Modern English Word-Formation. London: Longman, 1987. 240 p.

4. Allwood, J., Nivre, J., Ahlsйn, E. On the Semantics and Pragmatics of Linguistic Feedback. Journal of Semantics. 1992. Volume 9. Issue 1. P. 1-26.

5. Arnold I.V. The English Word. Leksikolohiia sovremennoho anhliiskoho yazyka: Ucheb. dlia in-tov i fak. inostr. yaz. 3-e izd., pererab. i dop. M.: Vyssh. shk., 1986. 295 s.

6. Bauer L. English word formation. Cambridge University Press, 1983. 191 p.

7. Cambridge Dictionary URL: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/ru/

8. Collins Dictionary URL: https://www.collinsdictionary.com/

9. Dictionary. com URL: https://www.dictionary.com/

10. Goldberg, A.E. Constructions. A New Theoretical Approach to Language. 2003. Vol. 7. Issue 5. P. 219 -224.

11. Macmillan Dictionary URL: https://www.macmillandictionary.com/

12. Oxford Dictionary URL: https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/

13. Peprnfk, J. English Lexicology. Olomouc: Univerzita Palackйho v Olomouci, 2006. 186 p.

14. Ramaprasad A. On the definition of feedback. Behavioural Science. 1983. Vol. 28 (1). Issue 13. P. 4-13.

15. The Free Dictionary URL: https://www.thefreedictionary.com/

16. Urban Dictionary URL: https://www.urbandictionary.com/

Размещено на Allbest.ru