ENGLISH LANGUAGE AND SOCIAL LIFE INNOVATIONS (2010–2021)

Abstract

The paper analyses new words and set expressions through their affiliation with different spheres of social life of the English-speaking community. The aim of the article is to analyse innovations by their distribution in the spheres of social life of the English-speaking society. The aim was reached by using both general scientific (analysis, synthesis, systematisation, classification, induction, deduction) and strictly linguistic methods (random sampling and observation method, lexico-semantic and contextual analysis, interpretation of dictionary definitions). In addition, the method of sociolinguistic analysis of the collected material was used. It aims to explore the relationship between language and society. Twelve groups of social life areas have been identified that have given a rise to entirely new innovations: innovations related to education and upbringing; innovations related to health sector; innovations related to generations; innovations related to gender aspect; innovations related to different diets, new recipes, and technologies in cooking; innovations related to sports, tourism, physical education, fitness; innovations related to environment; innovations related to COVID-19; innovations related to economy; innovations related to gadgets; innovations related to social media; innovations specified by modern information technology. The most expansive group is represented by the innovations related to the sphere of information technology, especially the social networks, which should be considered to be a new form of social communication. A certain number of new formations of economy and business denote new types and models of economic systems with the active role of ‘economy’ as the key word. Coronavirus pandemic (Covid-19) has begot dozens of new words and expressions with the words Covid/corona being the centre of innovations. Quite a number of neologisms is focused on the environmental problems, namely – the problems of climate change, global warming. Considerable number of words and expressions denote new kinds of sport, tourism, fitness. The trend to minimise the consumption of meat and other animal products, to go on different diets, to become vegetarian, the new cooking technology and technique – these factors determine the coinage of new formations, associated with the sphere of food, nutrition, culinary. Special attention is given to the denomination of new kinds and brands of such a beverage as coffee. Women liberation movement, especially the struggle for equal role in political and public life, against discrimination and sexism is evidenced in coinages based on the analogy of the expression glass ceiling, fusions with the words man and mom (mum) as the first element. Replenished is the vocabulary associated with the names and characteristics of generations, especially the new ones. The sphere of medicine and health contributes to the formation of neologisms denoting new therapies, cosmetic surgery, and treatment procedures. New formations in the sphere of education reflect changes in this sphere, new approaches and methods. Newly coined phrases characterise types of families, relations between their members. Sociolinguistic analysis is combined with the description of active ways, types and productive elements contributing to the replenishment of English vocabulary. Thus, the innovations in English in the last decade have reflected changes in almost all spheres of social life. These changes are caused by emerging problems and the need to solve them. Particular attention has been paid to the verbalisation of new forms and means of social communication in the context of the information revolution. The most active mechanisms for the formation of neologisms are telescoping (so called portmanteau words) including analogy with telescoping and pure telescoping, forming compound words, especially according to the N+(pro-)N model, affixation, abbreviations, and acronyms.

Keywords

• communication
• coronavirus
• denomination
• expression
• social sphere
• word