SOCIOFUNCTIONAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE INNOVATIVE LEXICON OF THE COMPUTER TECHNOSPHERE

Abstract

The article is devoted to the investigation of sociofunctional characteristics of the English language innovative lexicon of the computer science sphere. Such characterisitics are determined by means of clarifying of the particular extralingual factors that stipulate the emergence, functioning and spreading of innovative means, used for nomination of the notions and realities of the computer technosphere in the English language. The development of the computer technosphere itself, social changes that take place in the English speaking communities due to this development, its role in people’s life, the priority of coding of notions and phenomena of the computer-mediated reality by means of the English language are considered to be those extralingual factors that predetermine the development of the English language innovative lexicon of the abovementioned sphere. Its innovative lexical units become means of nomination of different types and models of computers, software and computer programmes, mistakes, spams, viruses, antiviruses, names of specialists, worked in the sphere of computer technologies, their kinds of professional activity, deeds and actions. Innovative units are used for nomination of special places where computer equipment is produced. The vast bulk of new words and word-combinations appeared in the English language due to the development and evolution of the Internet sphere. The notion of the Internet sphere itself is very capacious and multifaceted. Constant changes that take place in the Internet sphere give rise to numerous innovative means. English language lexical innovations become means of nomination of different web-portals, web-sites, webpages, web-advertisements, their characteristics and peculiarities of design. Some technical terms acquire new meanings due to the development of the Internet sphere. Many innovative lexical units from the Internet sphere become multifunctional and used in other social and communicative spheres as well. The sociofunctional characteristics of these units are determined with regard to the contexts of their real usage.