THE EMERGENCE AND FUNCTIONING OF ENGLISH NEOLOGISMS IN CONTEMPORARY COMMUNICATION (2023–2026)

Abstract

This article investigates the emergence, structural characteristics, and communicative functions of English neologisms that have entered public discourse during this period. The study aims to identify the principal mechanisms of neologism for- mation, determine the factors contributing to their dissemination, and examine their role in contemporary communication. The research employs a combination of descriptive, structural, semantic, and discourse analysis methods. The corpus of the study comprises neologisms collected from contemporary English-language media, social networking platforms, online dictionaries, and digital corpora. Particular attention is paid to lexical items associated with artificial intelligence, digital communication, environmental issues, and evolving socio-cultural trends. The analysis demonstrates that com- pounding, blending, clipping, affixation, abbreviation, semantic shift, and borrowing remain the most productive word-for- mation processes. Furthermore, the findings reveal that digital communication has become the primary environment for the creation, rapid dissemination, and stabilization of new lexical units. The study also highlights the pragmatic functions of English neologisms, emphasizing their role in facilitating efficient communication, expressing emerging concepts, constructing social identity, and reflecting speakers’ attitudes toward tech- nological and societal change. Many of the analyzed neologisms exhibit considerable semantic flexibility and are char- acterized by a high degree of contextual dependence, illustrating the dynamic nature of present-day English vocabulary. The findings contribute to a better understanding of current lexical processes and demonstrate the close relationship between language evolution and contemporary communication practices. The results may be applied in lexicological, sociolinguistic, and discourse studies, as well as in translation practice and the teaching of English as a foreign language. The research also provides a foundation for further investigations into the long-term development and standardization of English neologisms in the rapidly evolving digital era.