MODERN ENGLISH TELECOPIC NEONOMINATIONS

Abstract

The article deals with telescopic word formation as one of the productive ways of neologization of modern English, which is associated with economy in the language. The relevance of the study of innovative vocabulary is caused by its considerable number and frequency of its use. The analysis of telescopic neonomizations in English enables us to consider the reasons for their emergence, classifications, features, spheres of use and specifics of functioning. There is terminological variability in the research of linguists. Scholars use various terms to nominate the analyzed phenomenon, i.e., amalgams, compound words, telescoping, telescoped words, blendings, contamination, and portmanteau words. The material of the study was 226 English telescoped words selected by the method of continuous sampling. The study has found that telescopic word formation is highly effective in modern English. Its popularity is caused by both the tendency to save linguistic means and linguistic creativity of speakers. The neologisms are divided into 18 thematic groups, i.e., Ecology, Climate, and Natural Environment; Construction and Architecture; Science and Technology; Politics and Society; Business and Finance; Psychology; Generations, Family, and Upbringing; Training and Education; Relationships; Aesthetics, Clothing, and Lifestyle; Literature, Cinema, Music, and Art; Health and Beauty; Sports, Hobbies and Leisure; Food, Covid-19 Pandemic; Linguistics; Slang. The category Science and Technology contains the largest number of telescopic units, with a share of 26.52%. The analysis of the empirical material made it possible to detect the use of four productive word-formation models: 1) ab + cd > ad; 2) ab + cd > abd; 3) ab + cd > acd; 4) ab + cd > a(b/c)d. The distribution of groups by model revealed the following ratio: ab + cd > ad is 30.09%, ab + cd > abd is 30.97%, ab + cd > acd is 35.84%, ab + cd > a(b/c)d is 3.1%. The most productive and permanent types of telescopic word formation are nouns (98.23%). We see the prospect of further research in the need to analyze the ways of translating English telescopic nominations.