Neologism as a linguistic phenomenon in mass media

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National Technical University of Ukraine “Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute”

NEOLOGISM AS A LINGUISTIC PHENOMENON IN MASS MEDIA

Анотація

Статтю присвячено вивченню неологізмів у сучасній англомовній пресі кінця XX- початку XXI століть у рамках прагмалінгвістичної парадигми дослідження, суть якої полягає у перемиканні інтересів дослідника з об'єкта пізнання на суб'єкт. У статті розглядаються теоретичні засади вивчення неологізмів, визначаються комунікативно-прагматичні основи вивчення публіцистичного дискурсу, аналізується своєрідність сучасної англомовної молодіжної преси.

Ключові слова: неологізм, прагмалінгвістична парадигма, об'єкт, суб'єкт, вербально-семантичний рівень, лінгвокультура, номінація, комунікативні стратегїї та практики, публіцистичний дискурс.

Аннотация

Статья посвящена изучению неологизмов в современной англоязычной молодежной прессе конца XX - начала XXI века в рамках прагмалингвистической парадигмы исследования, суть которой заключается в переключении интересов исследователя с объекта познания на субъект. В статье рассматриваются теоретические предпосылки изучения неологизмов, определяются коммуникативно-прагматические основы изучения публицистического дискурса, анализируется своеобразие современной англоязычной молодежной прессы.

Ключевые слова: неологизм, прагмалингвистическая парадигма, объект, субъект, вербально-семантический уровень, лингвокультура, номинация, коммуникативные стратегии и практики, публицистический дискурс. journalistic discourse neologism english

Annotation

Shchypachova D.S. NEOLOGISM AS A LINGUISTIC PHENOMENON IN MASS MEDIA

This article is devoted to the study of neologisms in modern English-speaking youth press of the late XX - early XXI century within the pragmalinguistic research paradigm, the essence of which lies in the transfer of interests of the researchers from the objects of cognition to the subject. The article reviewed theoretical background of the study of neologisms, determined the communicative pragmatic basis for the study of journalistic discourse and analysed the originality of modern English-speaking youth press.

Key words: neologism, pragmalinguistic paradigm, object, subject, verbal-semantic level, linguaculture, nomination, communicative strategies and practices, journalistic discourse.

Introduction

The modern development trends of the media, of course, have been reflected in the processes of formation and propagation of language neologisms, the peculiarities of their usage in language, the nature and dynamics of language processes in the modem English-speaking youth press.

This article is devoted to the study of neologisms in modem English-speaking youth press of the late XX - early XXI century within the pragmalinguistic research paradigm, the essence of which lies in the transfer of interests of the researchers from the objects of cognition to the subject.

Nature, essence and features of the functioning of the language neologisms of the late XX - early XXI century in the youth media are almost unexplored. The texts of contemporary youth English press in particular clearly shows the dynamics of the development of language in the verbal-semantic and pragmatic and cognitive levels, which make up the overall picture of language space. Thus, the relevance of this study is due, on the one hand, the need to study neologisms as the means of reflecting changes that occur in the modem English-speaking youth linguoculture under the influence of various socially significant factors, such as computerization, globalization, etc. And, on the other hand, during the change of linguistic paradigm at the turn of the millennium, as well as the continuous updating and expansion of the lexical structure of the language, there is an urgent need for a theoretical understanding of constantly appearing neological language material.

Setting objectives

In this article the purpose is to identify and systematize the ways of nomination neologisms in modern English-speaking youth media.

In accordance with the purpose the following tasks are stated and solved:

- to examine the theoretical background of study of neologisms in modern English-speaking youth press the end of the XX century - beginning of the XXI century;

- to determine the communicative pragmatic basis for the study of joumalistic discourse;

- to analyze the originality of modern English-speaking youth press.

Analysis of recent research and publications

Researches in the field of linguistic pragmatics were and are the focus of a number of Soviet and foreign linguists and are of extreme multidimensionality (Y. Apresyan, N. Arutyu- nova, V. Bogdanov, L. Vasiliev, Z. Wendler, A. Wiezbicka, F. Kiefer, H. Pocheptsov, F. Recanati, J. Searle, V. Yuganov and others).

At the same time we rely on a broad understanding of the communicative-pragmatic paradigm in modem linguistics as a direction that allows us to study the linguistic phenomena from the standpoint of “the speaking person”, “person in language”, “language in action” both in terms of selection and nomination of lexical units and from the standpoint of determining the appropriateness of their use in the process of communication and, therefore, the effect of exposure to communicants, depending on the communicative situation, goals and objectives towards which they strive [Azhezh, 2003; Aznaurova, 1973, Benvenist, 2002; Susov, 1988].

The main material research

Consideration of language neologisms, which realize the unity of communication and cognition, requires addressing, on the one hand, to the aspect of its creation and development, on the other, to its functioning and communicative-pragmatic validity in a discourse that, in our view, underlines the direct link between nominative and communicative activities [4]. In other words, language neologisms creation should be considered as a process of nomination, but at the same time as the process of cognition and communication.

During the analysis of lexical neologisms within the communicative and pragmatic approach, we assume also the consideration of the typology of pragmatic parameters (rules) of language differentiation. Under the pragmatic rules we have in mind the following parameters: 1) the type of discourse; 2) the type of communicative act; 3) communicative orientation of discourse; 4) the social status of the communicants [9]. Among the specific parameters that determine the limitations in the aspect of stratification variability one may also include age, gender, educational and professional parameters, since it is to these characteristics youth language - of students and pupils, is traditionally distinguished.

Therefore, on the one hand, we can talk about the hierarchy of external factors that determine the status of the communicants, participating in the creation of a typology of pragmatic situation parameters, and prescribing adequate choice and a restriction on the use of certain lexical items in communicative-pragmatic situation. On the other hand, the factors allow determining the pragmatic components within the meaning of the word encoding pragmatic rules and limiting the use of lexical units in the communicative act.

Language neologisms development is determined, in our opinion, by the absence of the addressants of such units in the lexicon. Accordingly, language neologisms in journalistic discourse are created as a manifestation of a certain communicative intention, and not as a unit, intentionally created to supplement the vocabulary of the language [6].

The study of the communicative intential meaning of lexical units as a result of reflection of the essence of communicative action with substantiality and structural properties of lexical units and seems to be the subject of study oflan- guage neologisms of lexical units in communicative-pragmatic aspect [5].

Speaking about the lexical neologisms meaning pragmatics in the discourse it should be noted that despite the fact that the lexical units realize the unity of cognition and communication, they are virtually deprived of communicative independency in the text. Communicative validity of language units is realized at the level of sentence and text. Thus, the “level of language until the sentence forms its nominative basis, the level of the sentence itself - statement and above (text) - form the basis of its communication” [Kolshansky, 1984, p. 41].

The study of neologisms from the communicative and pragmatic point of view allows us to identify pragmatic function that is implemented in the context of and is aimed at achieving a certain result, motivated by intention of communicants in thejournalistic discourse. In the end, the effect of this exposure depends on the choice of certain means in a particular communicative situation, as well as the language of neologisms, the use of which is focused on the optimal solution to a specific communicative task.

In fact, the language of the mass media today can be seen as the unity of standard and expression.

Lexical neologisms refer to that part of the language system, which is an inherent characteristic of the pragmatic potential, implemented in the communicative situation and dominant at the pragmatic orientation ofjournalistic discourse [1].

Youth newspapers and magazines (form of periodical distribution of mass media, which is aimed at an audience aged 14 to 30) are among the most colorful and vibrant creations of modem publishing world. Their main task is upbringing the younger generation, its education in various fields of knowledge, self-development and help in the formation of their own “I”.

At the same time, the rapid development of information technologies and the World Wide Web has led to the emergence and widespread popularity of online journalism. Comparing the English-speaking print and electronic editions for young people today, it may be noted that to date, all types of existing printed youth publications are implemented in the network. Electronic newspapers combine opportunities of all media types, and the marked qualitative implications are observed - the speed, interactivity, the opportunity of the reader to get in touch with publishers - to put comments and organize independently online forums, chat rooms and discussion.

As one of the most sensitive environments to technological innovations and changes in the public and linguistic consciousness, the youth language of the press provides tojournalists with the most “hot stuff', it helps to determine the current language processes. The desire to satisfy both intellectual and aesthetic needs of the target youth audience today poses particular challenges for authors of youth books and realized in the creation of a special newspaper and journalistic style of the youth press.

To paraphrase the words of the prominent French linguist C. Bally that “scientific language- the language of ideas and artistic language - the language of feelings” [Bally, 2001], we note that modern journalism - is the language of both thoughts, and feelings.

Newspaper-journalistic style of the youth press is seen today as such the sphere of the language usage that most quickly reacts to new linguistic phenomena and gives an impressive picture of the use of language.

Among the main features of journalistic style of youth press it should be noted the principal stylistic heterogeneity of stylistic means, the use of emotive language and special terminology, a combination of standard and expressive means of language, the use and the creation of language neologisms [8]. Professional update of speech material, a constant search for new means of evaluation expression determines that the youth language of the press is the most active area of the appearance and use of the language neologisms especially in the initial period of their existence, when they have not been adopted in lexicographical sources.

The study of neologisms in communicative-pragmatic aspect, of course, involves a thorough analysis of the ways of emergence and creation of new lexical items in the language system.

Considered in this article neologisms are directly related to the dynamics of the particular areas of modern English - youth slang that despite of transparency of its constituents by members of different age and social groups, are realized only in the speech of the social group of native speakers.

Youth group today is recognized by many experts in the aspect of leading vocabulary replenishment of modern language system.

In the youth media one can meet a large number of “trendy” words. They are a kind of substitute for traditional speech standards. In other words, they make it more accessible, simple, succinct and appropriate for the target audience.

Why is it of great interest for the younger generation? There are several reasons. First, its accessibility, usability, simplicity and flexibility. The most common extra-linguistic features, which cause the formation of neologisms in modem English-speaking youth press, is an informal, natural credibility of communication which is typical for this age group. At the same time, of course, novelty expression creates borrowings of many foreign words that are brighter, more essential, more prestigious and more impressive.

In an aspect of this study the question of longevity oflanguage neologisms is very important. In our study, the starting point of reference for the classification of lexical units to the category of neologisms, we take the end of the XX - beginning of the XXI century, because we believe that the concept of neologism is a factor in the historical development of the language, its movement in time and is determined by diachronic dimension. At the same time, despite the fact that, in view of the historical language development, this time period is a short time segment.

The choice of the specified segment of time, wejustify by a great breakthrough in the field of information technology, the extraordinary richness of the period marked by various historical and geopolitical events, the powerful processes of globalization and cross-cultural communication that promotes intensive emergence of new words and new meanings of old words especially in the modem English language, that certainly occupies more and more active position in today's world, and actually pretends for the role of“lingua franca”.

The emergence of neologisms is determined, especially in the initial period of their existence, by the sphere of their usage, the emergence of trends such as the language preservation trends and development trends.

The study of reviewed scientific directions for neology has revealed a large number of different interpretations and classifications of new vocabulary of modern English language (P. Budagov, N. Bulavin, V. Zabotkina and others). In the aspect of the classification parameters of the new vocabulary of the English language it seems to us that the most effective classification is by proposed by V. Zabotkina [1989], in which: 1) the actual neologisms (form novelty combined with the content novelty ); 2) transnomination (form novelty of the word is combined with the meaning that was passed earlier by another form); 3) semantic neologisms (reframe) (the new meaning is indicated by a form that already exists in the language) [Zabotkina, 1989].

This classification of language neologisms is determined, in our opinion, by their pragmatic potential. This theoretical understanding of neologisms, understanding of the causes and regularities of their functioning in the language, the definition of their status and pragmatic validity in each period of language development allows, of course, to solve the practical problems facing us in the classification and systematization aspects oflexical units.

Conclusions

The English language, as well as other languages, is in constant change and dynamics. Lexicon as the movable layer of language is the most sensitive to changes in the social, cultural and other spheres of the life of the speaker, because it is the word that is “mirror oflife”.

On the other hand, there is a growing interest in modern linguistics to the different aspects of word-formation due to the fact that the word is the central unit of the language.

Intrinsic properties of the word as a lexical unit are mixed with the properties of other elements of the language. This interaction is the basis of operation of the language system as a whole.

In modern semantic studies of newly appeared words more often there is a tendency to go beyond the word as a unit of the language system, which is caused by the desire to understand how derivative words function in speech and accordingly to understand better the mechanism of formation of the new semantics of the word.

Communicative-pragmatic approach to the study of journalistic discourse allows us to consider in detail the connection between language and situations of its use within the journalistic text, and to reveal all the components of the language system, including lexical means for creating the situation of communication, speech positions and intentions of the participants of the communicative act, social and personal relationships of communicants.

As one of the most susceptible environment to technological innovations and to changes of public and linguistic consciousness, youth media language providesjournalists with the most “hot material”, allows identifying the relevant linguistic processes. Language of youth press is the most active area of origin and the use of language neologisms especially in the initial period of their existence, when they were not adopted in lexicographical sources.

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