A neologism is a word, term, or phrase which has been recently created (“coined”) – often to apply to new concepts, to synthesize pre-existing concepts, or to make older terminology sound more contemporary. Neologisms are especially useful in identifying inventions, new phenomena, or old ideas which have taken on a new cultural context. The term “e-mail”, as used today, is an example of a neologism.
Classification:
By Haham: Words in which the form and the meaning is new. Ex.: audiotyping; the former-new, the meaning has already been expressed by some other word. Ex.: big C-cancer; the meaning – new, but the form existed. Ex.: “bread” in the meaning of money “green”=$
By Rosen: these are words which can occur in isolation, but at the same time they can be parts of new words.
Ex.: Euro(money)-Euro market; new morphemes which have appeared in the language recently ex.: – nik peacenik, beatnik; – teria washateria, bookateria; these are words which consist of already existing morphemes, but in new combination ex.: “greenback”=$; skinhead.
Formation of neologisms: affixation – is the most productive ex.: beatnik, washateria; word over lapping ex.: swellegant (swell+elegant); abbreviation (blending); compounding ex.: skinhead, greenback; forming new words from word combination and sentences.: boldheadish, 6 o;clockish; forming new words according already existing productive pattern. Ex.: fingersmith tunesmith.
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