LINGUISTIC EVOLUTION IN THE DIGITAL AGE: ENGLISH CYBER NEOLOGISMS WORD-FORMATION PROCESSES

Abstract

The rapid advancement of computer technology and the Internet has catalyzed significant linguistic transformations, especially in vocabulary development. This study investigates the complex processes of neologism formation within the digital communication landscape, examining how technological innovation fosters linguistic creativity. The research tasks are to analyse word-formation models for Internet neologisms, examine the prevalence of different word-creation techniques, investigate the semantic expansion of existing terms, and explore the impact of technological development on the evolution of the English language. The research analyses a comprehensive corpus of Internet-related neologisms, revealing various word-formation models. Findings indicate that 64% of new terms arise through non-standard methods, including blending, abbreviation, and acronymisation. Semantic expansion accounts for 18% of the analysed neologisms, demonstrating how existing words acquire new meanings in technological contexts. The term “spam” illustrates this phenomenon, shifting from its original meaning of ‘canned meat’ to describe ‘unwanted digital communications.’ It is proved that affixation is a particularly productive word formation technique, with prefixes like cyber-, e-, net-, and web- generating many new terms. The prefix cyber- proves highly generative, reflecting the Internet’s transformative effect on English. Wordcompounds represent the largest category of neologisms, combining existing words from the vocabulary stock to create new terms. The study shows that Internet neologisms primarily stem from user communication needs, often focused on reducing typing time and capturing emerging technological concepts. The linguistic landscape continues evolving rapidly, with new terms to describe innovative digital experiences and technologies.