Characteristics of The Formation of Internet English Neologisms and their Developing Tendency
摘 要
本文首先概述了新词的发展并给出了其定义，然后探索了网络英语新词出现的背景及原因，接着文章又从语义特征和构词两方面概括网络英语新词的特点。本文的第五部分结合实例列举了网络英语新词的七种常见构词形式，即合成法、派生法、截短法、首字母拼音法、拼缀法、旧词新义、创新法。第六部分提出了一种特殊的新词——表情符号，并从定义、分类、构词形式三方面对其进行讨论。最后，本文还预测了网络英语新词的三种发展趋势。
关键词：网络英语新词；特点；构词；发展趋势
ABSTRACT
This paper first describes the development of neologism and gives a definition to it. Then, it explores the background and the reasons of the appearance of Internet English neologisms. Next, it genelizes the characteristics of the Internet English neologisms from two perspectives of meaning and formation. In the fifth part of this paper, it illustrates seven common ways of formation of these neologisms combined with examples, i.e., compounding, affixation, clipping, acronymy, blending, by adding new meanings to existing words, coinage. The sixth part introduces a new special form of neologism: emoticon, which are discussed from three aspects, i.e., definition, classification and formation. Finally, it anticipates three development tendency of the Internet English neologisms.
Keywords：Internet English neologisms; characteristic; formation;
development tendency
Contents
1. Introduction 1
2. The development of neologism and its definition 2
3. The reasons for the appearance of the Internet English neologism 4
4. The characteristics of Internet English neologisms 5
4.1 Semantic features 5
4.1.1 Terse and Clear 5
4.1.2 Vivid and proper 6
4.1.3 Popular 6
4.2 Formation features 7
4.2.1 Easy to remember and type 7
4.2.2 Utilizing the symbols on the keyboard 7
5. Ways of the formation of Internet English neologisms 8
5.1 Compounding 8
5.2 Affixation 8
5.2.1 Prefixation 9
5.2.2 Suffixation 9
5.3 Clipping 9
5.4 Acronymy 10
5.4.1 Initialism 10
5.4.2 Acronymy 11
5.5 Blending 11
5.6 Adding new meanings to existing words 12
5.7 Coinage 12
6. Emoticon—a special Internet English neologism 14
6.1 The definition of emoticon 14
6.2 Classification of Emoticon 14
6.3 The formation of emoticon 16
7. The development tendency of the Internet English Neologisms 17
7.1 Internet English neologisms coming into daily usage 17
7.2 Irregular usage in the passage written by Internet English neologisms 17
7.3 A large number of neologisms springing up at a rapid speed 18
8. Conclusion 20
Acknowledgement 21
References 22
