Lexical Innovation

In addition to borrowing from various foreign sources, the main origins of slang terms are the activation and revitalization of existing morphological and lexical material. Metaphorical manipulation of lexical items, as the main device used for the production of slangisms, shows remarkable similarities in languages otherwise quite different from each other. Slang is analyzed as a kind of substandard language variation which any full-fledged language is bound to develop because it is experimental in that it is born from insubordination and protest against the stress experienced in the speech communities of large cities and is always characterized by that element of playfulness which is the hallmark of creative language in general.

In addition to borrowing from various foreign sources, the main origins of slang terms are the activation and revitalization of existing morphological and lexical material. Metaphorical manipulation of lexical items, as the main device used for the production of slangisms, shows remarkable similarities in languages otherwise quite different from each other. Slang is analyzed as a kind of substandard language variation which any full-fledged language is bound to develop because it is experimental in that it is born from insubordination and protest against the stress experienced in the speech communities of large cities and is always characterized by that element of playfulness which is the hallmark of creative language in general.

Winner of the 2020 ESSE Book Award in English Language and Linguistics Lexical Innovation in World Englishes contributes to the investigation of World Englishes by offering insights into the lexical developments of selected English varieties and their cross-fertilization potential. Taking a theoretical and empirical approach and focusing on neological formations, this book: discusses and problematizes different categorizations of English varieties and processes of word formation, considering the expansion of English across the world; draws on authentic examples taken from language corpora to gain a finer understanding of the varieties’ transformations and of their reciprocal influences from a lexical perspective; aims to validate general considerations on the lexical features of these varieties of English and test them using corpora. Including eight empirical case studies, this innovative text shows the importance of investigating lexical developments to observe the evolution of a variety while arguing for the need to go beyond a purely structuralist approach and to include a broader discursive and sociological perspective. Lexical Innovation in World Englishes is key reading for postgraduate students and researchers in the fields of World Englishes and language varieties.

The creation of new lexical units and patterns has been studied in different research frameworks, focusing on either system-internal or system-external aspects, from which no comprehensive view has emerged. The volume aims to fill this gap by studying dynamic processes in the lexicon – understood in a wide sense as not being necessarily limited to the word level – by bringing together approaches directed to morphological productivity as well as approaches analyzing general types of lexical innovation and the role of discourse-related factors. The papers deal with ongoing changes as well as with historical processes of change in different languages and reflect on patterns and specific subtypes of lexical innovation as well as on their external conditions and the speakers’ motivations for innovating. Moreover, the diffusion and conventionalization of innovations will be addressed. In this way, the volume contributes to understanding the complex interplay of structural, cognitive and functional factors in the lexicon as a highly dynamic domain.

The series Studia Linguistica Germanica, founded in 1968 by Ludwig Erich Schmitt and Stefan Sonderegger, is one of the standard publication organs for German Linguistics. The series aims to cover the whole spectrum of the subject, while concentrating on questions relating to language history and the history of linguistic ideas. It includes works on the historical grammar and semantics of German, on the relationship of language and culture, on the history of language theory, on dialectology, on lexicology / lexicography, text linguisticsand on the location of German in the European linguistic context.

Seminar paper from the year 2020 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Literature, grade: 2,0, University of Cologne, language: English, abstract: The term paper provides a linguistic analysis of Shakespeare's coinages, based on the example of Macbeth. The analysis will focus on his three major word formation strategies: compounding, derivation and conversion. When dealing with language in the Early Modern English period, there is hardly any way around the exploration of Shakespeare's works and his innovative lexical creativity. Not only is Shakespeare known for being one of the most productive writers of his time, he is also responsible for coining a number of lexical variations that still stick with us today. His gift for elevating the ordinary through lexical innovation and rhetoric ingenuity is the reason why his reputation as a pioneer of English literature and language remains unchallenged today.

Lexical research plays a central role in present-day linguistics. Thanks to its ability to combine the traditional humanistic approach with state-of-the-art linguistic theory, it quickly responds to the demands of a constantly changing society, which requires scholars to provide answers to challenges in the field of translation, language teaching and language use. Furthermore, while still dealing with areas like legal language or dictionaries, the parameters of research have expanded to include previously unforeseeable fields, such as video game terminology, code mixing in pop music or the translation of erotic literature. This book shows how researchers are currently responding to these challenges, with a collection of essays representing various aspects of lexicography, combining cutting-edge research with a user-friendly approach. Divided into four major sections (Lexical Theory and Acquisition; Legal Terminology; Dictionaries; and New Challenges), it proves that lexicology, lexicography and terminology are very much at the forefront of current research trends.

The creation of new lexical units and patterns has been studied in different research frameworks, focusing on either system-internal or system-external aspects, from which no comprehensive view has emerged. The volume aims to fill this gap by studying dynamic processes in the lexicon – understood in a wide sense as not being necessarily limited to the word level – by bringing together approaches directed to morphological productivity as well as approaches analyzing general types of lexical innovation and the role of discourse-related factors. The papers deal with ongoing changes as well as with historical processes of change in different languages and reflect on patterns and specific subtypes of lexical innovation as well as on their external conditions and the speakers’ motivations for innovating. Moreover, the diffusion and conventionalization of innovations will be addressed. In this way, the volume contributes to understanding the complex interplay of structural, cognitive and functional factors in the lexicon as a highly dynamic domain.

This volume is about the lasting impact of new (Western) notions on the 19th and early 20th century Chinese language; their invention, spread and standardization. Topics examined range from preconceptions about the capacity of the Chinese language to accommodate foreign ideas, the formation of specific nomenclatures and the roles of individual translators, to Chinese and European attempts at coming to terms with each other s grammar. A valuable reference work for all those interested in the historical semantics of modern China.

A lexically based, corpus-driven theoretical approach to meaning in language that distinguishes between patterns of normal use and creative exploitations of norms. In Lexical Analysis, Patrick Hanks offers a wide-ranging empirical investigation of word use and meaning in language. The book fills the need for a lexically based, corpus-driven theoretical approach that will help people understand how words go together in collocational patterns and constructions to make meanings. Such an approach is now possible, Hanks writes, because of the availability of new forms of evidence (corpora, the Internet) and the development of new methods of statistical analysis and inferencing. Hanks offers a new theory of language, the Theory of Norms and Exploitations (TNE), which makes a systematic distinction between normal and abnormal usage—between rules for using words normally and rules for exploiting such norms in metaphor and other creative use of language. Using hundreds of carefully chosen citations from corpora and other texts, he shows how matching each use of a word against established contextual patterns plays a large part in determining the meaning of an utterance. His goal is to develop a coherent and practical lexically driven theory of language that takes into account the immense variability of everyday usage and that shows that this variability is rule governed rather than random. Such a theory will complement other theoretical approaches to language, including cognitive linguistics, construction grammar, generative lexicon theory, priming theory, and pattern grammar.