New Neologization Processes in Online Spaces

Abstract

The digital environment offers an extensive array of technological possibilities, encompassing various types of keyboards (e.g., emoji, GIF), voice messages, traditional chat interfaces, AI-generated text or voice, and online linguistic wordplays such as leetspeak. These innovations facilitate the creation of a multitude of neosememes and neolexemes. Such advancements necessitate a reevaluation and potential reinvention of the categories associated with the traditional neologization process, as discussed by Bloomfield & Newmark (1963), Algeo (1993), Katamba (2005), and others. This paper provides a comprehensive review of linguistic creativity within online spaces, with a particular focus on less formal contexts. It examines patterns such as respelling, substitution, and phonological resonance, which are employed to accommodate neologisms that have emerged from digital communication. By analyzing these patterns, the study aims to contribute to contemporary linguistics and documentation of how digital communication reshapes linguistic innovations.