LEXICAL-SEMANTIC ANALOGY AS AN IMPORTANT FACTOR OF ENRICHMENT OF COMPUTER LEXIS

Abstract

The article deals with the role of lexical-semantic analogy in the process of enrichment of computer lexis. Although some scholars argue that lexicalsemantic analogy is barely a “marginal” way of word-creation in computer lexis and the English language as a whole, we do believe it to be a promising and efficient way of creating new words, the meaning of which can be easily guessed or deduced. New words created via lexical-semantic analogy account for only around 4 per cent of our corpus of computer lexis, but due to their functional simplicity and wide availability of ready models, analogy has earned wide popularity not only in the specialized media outlets, but in the mainstream media as well. The ways of creating new words and word combinations in computer lexis vary - for this purpose the Internet users often utilize the existing phraseological units, shortenings, blending, as well as stale expressions. For example, the word “dyslexia” has given birth to the new word “mouselexia” (inability to use a computer mouse), “grassroots” have evolved into “netroots” (social activity on the Internet), wearable and hearable devices have called into existence the “nearables” (electronic devices that work only near another device). Finally, due to a “slip of the tongue” and a “pain in the neck” such newfound and colorful expressions as “slip of the thumb” (a typo in a phone message) and a “pain in the net” (an abusive or tactless person in an online conversation) were brought to life. It may thus be considered proved that lexical-semantic analogy takes an active part in enrichment of the modern computer lexis; the research may continue in terms of establishing and analyzing basic and most productive lexical-semantic models that enable the creation of new words and expressions.