SEMANTIC EVOLUTION OF ENGLISH VOCABULARY IN THE CONTEXT OF GLOBALIZATION AND DIGITALIZATION

Abstract

The article provides a comprehensive analysis of contemporary trends in the semantic evolution of English vocabulary under the conditions of globalization and digitalization as key drivers of linguistic dynamics in the twenty-first century. Semantic change is examined as a multi-level process of the formation of new meanings resulting from the interaction of extralinguistic and intralinguistic factors. Particular attention is paid to the impact of internet communication, social media, the media space, and artificial intelligence technologies on the transformation of word meanings, the emergence of digital neologisms, and the adaptation of borrowed vocabulary. The study is based on an integrated approach combining cognitive, sociolinguistic, lexicalsemantic, and corpus methodologies, which makes it possible to trace the mechanisms of new lexical meaning formation in the contemporary Englishspeaking environment. It is demonstrated that globalization promotes the spread of English as a lingua franca, the active integration of cross-linguistic concepts, cultural exchange, and the expansion of the semantic potential of existing lexemes, while digitalization significantly accelerates the process of neologization and the emergence of new meanings in professional and everyday communicative practices. The main types of semantic transformations in modern English are systematized, including semantic broadening and narrowing, metaphorization, metonymy, polysemy, positive and negative evaluative shifts, the formation of semantic neologisms, as well as processes of loanword adaptation and semantic shift. The analysis is illustrated with examples of digital terms, slang units, and technical vocabulary actively used in social networks, online platforms, and the field of artificial intelligence. Key factors stimulating semantic change are identified, such as international communication, technological development, media influence, global mobility, and the transformation of social practices. The major challenges of contemporary semantic research are outlined, including the rapid emergence of new meanings, the instability of digital vocabulary, context dependence, and the complexity of classifying types of semantic change. The findings confirm the high adaptability of the English language and its ability to respond swiftly to cultural and technological transformations in the globalized world.