Lexical innovation on the web and social media

Würschinger, Quirin (2022): Lexical innovation on the web and social media: emergence, diffusion, and social variation in the use of English neologisms. Dissertation, LMU München: Faculty for Languages and Literatures

Abstract

This dissertation investigates the emergence and diffusion of English neologisms on the web and social media, employing a data-driven methodology to identify a substantial sample of 851 neologisms. Neologisms are examined from their coining to successful dissemination within the community, with the study revealing a wide spectrum of degrees of diffusion. The exploration extends to studying the usage and diffusion of selected neologisms on the web and on Twitter, with a particular focus on social dynamics and variation among different speaker groups. Moreover, the dissertation probes into semantic innovation, demonstrating substantial socio-semantic variation and polarized public discourse surrounding certain neologisms. The research conducts an extensive analysis of semantic innovation and socio-semantic variation, elucidating significant socio-semantic discrepancies between various communities. The dissertation sheds light on the social and semantic dynamics underpinning the life cycle of neologisms within a linguistically diverse community.

• Item Type: Theses (Dissertation, LMU Munich)
• Keywords: lexical innovation, neologisms, social media, social network analysis, word embeddings
• Subjects: 400 Language; 400 Language > 420 English and Old English
• Faculties: Faculty for Languages and Literatures
• Language: English
• Date of oral examination: 9. November 2022
• 1. Referee: Schmid, Hans-Jörg
• Signature of the printed copy: 0001/UMC 30007