Beatriz Elisa González Fonseca
José Carlos Guevara Alayón
Omar Luis Ramos Hechavarría
Neologisms formed in Spanish language
Neologismos formados en la lengua española
Neologismos formados em língua espanhola
1 Beatriz Elisa González Fonseca*
2 José Carlos Guevara Alayón
3 Omar Luis Ramos Hechavarría
1 Universidad de Holguín. Cuba. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1546-4241.
2 Biblioteca Provincial Julio Antonio Mella, Camagüey. Cuba. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0001-0681-3972.
3 Centro de Lingüística Aplicada. Santiago de Cuba. Cuba. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0004-3779-0816.
*Autor para la correspondencia: filologa@proton.me.
Abstract
The term “neologismo” has had multiple definitions throughout its history. This paper aims to present some of these definitions, compare them, and demonstrate some new words that have been incorporated into the Spanish language in recent years. The theoretical methods used in this study are historical-logical and analysis-synthesis methods. Empirically, dictionaries such as the Real Diccionario de la Lengua Española (RAE), the Diccionario Actual de la Lengua Española (DALE), the Diccionario de Uso del Español (DUE) and the Diccionario de Lingüística de Jean Dubois were consulted for the study of these words. The sample presented here serves as an initial source of a survey of the behavior of neologisms and their acceptance in the Cuban variant of the Spanish language in particular.
Keywords: Neologism; definitions; Spanish language; dictionaries
Resumen
El término “neologismo” ha tenido múltiples definiciones a lo largo de su historia. Este trabajo pretende presentar algunas de esas definiciones, compararlas y demostrar algunas palabras nuevas que se han incorporado a la lengua española en los últimos años. Los métodos teóricos utilizados en este estudio han sido el histórico-lógico y el de análisis-síntesis. Empíricamente, para el estudio de estas palabras se consultaron diccionarios como el Real Diccionario de la Lengua Española (RAE), el Diccionario Actual de la Lengua Española (DALE), el Diccionario de Uso del Español (DUE) y el Diccionario de Lingüística de Jean Dubois. La muestra que aquí se presenta sirve de fuente inicial para un estudio del comportamiento de los neologismos y su aceptación en la variante cubana de la lengua española particularmente.
Palabras Clave: Neologismos; definiciones; lengua española; diccionarios
Resumo
O termo “neologismo” teve várias definições ao longo de sua história. Este artigo tem como objetivo apresentar algumas dessas definições, compará-las e demonstrar algumas palavras novas que foram incorporadas à língua espanhola nos últimos anos. Os métodos teóricos utilizados neste estudo foram o histórico-lógico e o de análise-síntese. Empiricamente, para o estudo dessas palavras, foram consultados dicionários como o Real Diccionario de la Lengua Española (RAE), o Diccionario Actual de la Lengua Española (DALE), o Diccionario de Uso del Español (DUE) e o Diccionario de Lingüística de Jean Dubois. A amostra apresentada aqui serve como fonte inicial para um estudo sobre o comportamento dos neologismos e sua aceitação na variante cubana da língua espanhola em particular.
Palavras-chave: Neologismo; definições; língua espanhola; dicionários
Introduction
Communication between human beings originally involves the creation of words to designate both the universe they perceive and their feelings and thoughts (Pruvost & Sablayrolles, 2009). Words, as a manifestation of the symbolic activity of man, are born from the will to represent things, ideas and facts by means of sounds and signs that are their representations. Whatever the interpretation of language: metaphysical, biological or linguistic, it is always part of a creative process of language and, therefore, neological (Giraldo, 2016).
On the subject in question the same author states:
Throughout our lives we do not escape the natural and properly human phenomenon that neology represents. Neology, essential for the life of a language, makes the object a reality throughout existence. The child, with more or less complacency and family motivation, will neologize to express his desires and the vocabulary he lacks. For example, he will designate animals or objects in an onomatopoeic way by reproducing the screams or sounds that characterize them, such as woof-woof. Adolescents, always in search of their own style and identity, tend to have a strong desire to neologize, that is, to verbally construct and delimit their universe by transgressing the normalized language, oral or written, of adults. And, during this process, adolescents unknowingly train themselves in the manipulation of the language, to master it better, through their initiation into processes such as the classic mechanisms of abbreviation (prof for professor, parce for parcero; a word whose meaning is roughly like “dude”, “bro” or “mate” in English (it’s not 100% equivalent though as “parce” can be used for both men and women). Adults, on the other hand, represent those to whom neologization originating from invention is most often attributed, whether derived from material progress, thought or fiction. In this way, in recent years words such as: wifi, webcam, tweeter, uribista, chavista, etc. have appeared. The adult also gets involved in the literary neological game typical of the universe of fiction. In short, neologization is thus integrated into a set of natural reactions depending on the age, personal experience and community that are expressed, also depending on the dynamism of the different periods of history. (p.40)
Thus, new social, cultural, economic and scientific realities provoke changes in language and, as a consequence, new words appear which, at the same time, reflect the vitality of the language. Language evolves and adapts to the new order of life of a society and, therefore, the appearance of neologisms in languages is perceived as something inherent to them and as a sign of their development. (Martín, n.d)
So, according to this author, we could say that neologisms are an essential phenomenon in the language of any society. One reason is the increased contact between languages of different countries. As a result, the words of a language have been adapted to designate realities that other languages did not possess
A clear example of this can be seen in the anglicisms or Gallicisms that have been making their way into the Spanish language. The number of anglicisms in the Spanish language is increasing. This is due to the world of technology and information technology. There are countless cases today of Anglicisms for this reason, from email to the new iPods and iPads. Nevertheless, the Royal Spanish Academy (RSA) or, as we know it in Spanish, RAE has tried to create Spanish words equivalent to the borrowed terms, without success in most cases. As an example, we would have the term marketing. The RAE has created its equivalent term in Spanish, mercadotecnia, but it has not yet come into common use among Spanish speakers, so marketing is considered a loan from English and now belongs to the Spanish language.
In any living language, there are neological changes every day. These changes come from all strata of society, from the educated language where technical terms are created to the most vulgar language. Every speaker of a language is a creator of neological terms, so it can be said that every speaker of a language not only experiences these changes, but also participates in them.
In short, following the previous approach, neology reflects the evolution of both a language and a society (Giraldo, 2016, p.41 ). Language dates and neologisms are the most notorious elements. According to Pruvost and Sablayrolles (2009), neologisms appear in various spaces where, depending on the time, function, temperament and mood of the speakers, they are tested, examined, discussed or discarded. The press, dictionaries, literature and institutions represent the instances where neologisms are analyzed and validated.
Materials and methods
The following theoretical methods were used: historical-logical, which made it possible to establish the history of the research problem, as well as to carry out a study of the neologisms incorporated into Spanish. This made it possible to verify general theoretical principles and reach conclusions after the study of the topic in question. The analysis and synthesis made it possible to evaluate the initial results of the research and to know the specific characteristics of the problem and to elaborate the theoretical basis of the information and interpret the results. Among the empirical methods, observation made it possible to know and evaluate the neologisms according to their characteristics, taking Estopá & Cabré (2004) and Estornell (2009) as a source. For the study of the word, it was necessary to use dictionaries such as: Royal Dictionary of the Spanish Language (RAE, acronym in Spanish), Current Dictionary of the Spanish Language (DALE, acronym in Spanish), the Dictionary of Spanish Usage (DUE, acronym in Spanish), by María Moliner and the Dictionary of Linguistics by Jean Dubois.
Result and discussion
The term neologism has had multiple definitions from the time it originated until today. Originally, the conception of neologism and neology was not the same as it is today. These terms began to appear in the 18th century to designate affectations in the way of expressing oneself, so they had a pejorative charge. However, this charge is not the one they have today. This is due to the fact that after that century they were lost and came to designate innovations in the language. (Martí, n.d, p.3)
As for the terms neologism and neology (Martín, n.d.), he explains that they did not have the same luck over the last centuries. In fact, the latter term has been forgotten until the present day. This can be seen in the different publications of the dictionaries of the Royal Spanish Academy. The term neology is not registered until the last edition of the dictionary, while neologism is registered since the 1843 edition. Even today, it is still a rather forgotten term, since the current dictionaries do not usually record it either. The Royal Academy also registered it in its twenty-second edition, but until the beginning of the 21st century it is a term that has been forgotten by both the Royal Academy and the Current Dictionary of the Spanish Language (DALE) or the Dictionary of Spanish Use (DUE) by María Moliner, which have been prestigious dictionaries. Nevertheless, there is a dictionary that coined the term, Jean Dubois' 20th century Dictionary of Linguistics. The meaning of neology provided by Dubois' dictionary is "the process of formation of new lexical units", while the Royal Academy is more concise. The definitions provided by the RAE (definition 1; definition 2) are dependent on that of neologism, since it includes the word in both: “Process of formation of neologisms” or “Study of neologisms”. It should be noted that, although the meanings of the Royal Academy are more novel, the meaning provided by Dubois a century earlier is more clarifying.
As for the definition of the term neologism, this author continues, we find certain differences both from the diachronic and synchronic point of view at the present time. From the diachronic point of view, we can observe the different meanings that it has possessed from its first meaning in the DRAE to the current one. The definition has been evolving in a positive way, as it has been completed and corrected over time to reach a more accurate definition. In the 1843 edition, we find the following meaning: “Vice that consists of introducing new voices into a language”. In this meaning, we can observe the pejorative charge that the term still had with the use of the term vice. Nevertheless, this meaning is lost in the 1869 edition, becoming a meaning more similar to the one we have today, but with a clarification that indicates that the pejorative meaning has not disappeared in its totality: “New word or turn of phrase in a language”. We see from the clarification that the term only designated those words that were not necessary in the language. Finally, in the edition that loses all this connotation is the 1884 edition, where we are offered its etymological analysis and its meaning practically as we know it today: “(From gr. Νέος, new, and λοΥισμός, word, meaning) m. New word or turn of phrase in a language. Use of these new words or turns of phrase”. From this edition to that of 1927 it did not undergo any changes, however, in the 1936 edition a last nuance was added that lasts for the rest of the meanings until the current one: “Vocabulary, meaning or new turn of phrase in a language” (definition 1). On the other hand, Dubois et al. (1973) provides us with a very comprehensive concept, but very well explained:
“The neologism is a lexical unit (new signifier or new signifier-meaning relationship) which functions in a given communication model, and which had not been realized previously. This novelty corresponds in general! To a specific feeling among speakers. Thus, certain neologisms, related to the neology of language, are an integral part of the lexical grammar of the language (example: surpreiumimeitt). "If the model chosen, we will distinguish neologism)" nm in broad and narrow synchrony, neologism, for the language as a whole or for particular uses ( technoiects). It is therefore necessary a relative and operative concept today, lexicographers tend to make the neol mark more visible in private quotations." (p.374)
From the current point of view, we find certain differences between the different authors in the way of defining the term. Firstly, the RAE with the current definition given. Secondly, the definition provided by the DALE, “Vocabulary, turn of phrase or mode of expression new to a language”(definition 1), which really does not differ much from the Real Academia, we only see differences in delimitation in that the Royal Academy speaks of meanings and the DALE of expressions. Thirdly, the definition of the Dictionary of Spanish Usage (DUE) by María Moliner, which is of a more general nature and includes an extensive commentary: “Word or expression recently introduced into a language. They are, in general, considered legitimate, without the need to be sanctioned by the Royal Academy, the technical terms necessary to designate new concepts, as well as the scientific designations formed with a cultured root to meet a new need, according to the general rules of derivation. *Affix, *derivation, *root. Purist”.
On the other hand, it is important to underline the definition of the dictionary of the Spanish of Mexico, in which it is quoted: "Word or linguistic expression that has been formed recently, or borrowed recently from another language, new meaning or use of a word that already exists".
We can also see Rey (1970 as cited in Torres, 2015), where he not only gives us his definition of the word neologism, but also affirms that he was one of the first to give such a definition, bypassing the DRAE in 1843:
One of the first authors to define what a neologism it was Rey (1970), who proposed the concept of neologism as a symbol of a change that has occurred, a sudden mutation that allows the birth of a new sign that describes a new social, economic or aesthetic situation, among other criteria. Thus, for him, a neologism is a lexical unit considered as new by the users of a language, because of its signifier and signified or only because of its signified. Later, Guilbert (1973) mentions that a neologism is a new attitude in the language in the face of a change or evolution (p. 10).
The same author follows a chronological line:
(...) based on the ideas of Rey (1970), Cabré (2002) defines neology as the phenomenon of introducing into a language a lexical unit or other new linguistic resource that may have been created by taking advantage of the internal resources of the language itself or borrowed from a foreign language. Subsequently, in a more simplified form, Lara (2006) considers that a neologism is any word that has recently become widespread in social life. Vocabulary created to account for new social experiences, whose emergence is due to the need to signify new experiences in social life. Some remain and become part of the lexicon of the historical language, while others soon fall into disuse and disappear in a short time. (p.11)
Traits to characterize neologisms based on (Estornell, 2009, pp.235-349):
Estopá and Cabré (2004) proposes another classification, with which he begins: “Initially and up to now, the typology with which neologisms are classified comprises the following types, each represented by the codes indicated below”(pp.10-19).
Finally, the analysis of the results includes the linguistic component which, for reasons of space, is limited here to ten neologisms and the determination of the main mechanisms of their formation and meaning.
Conclusion
The neologisms analyzed fulfill the function of nominating new realities, which can be verified in their use in different spheres. Thus, the sample presented is an initial source for further consultation to study different aspects of lexical issues of the language, particularly in the variant of Cuban Spanish. According to the formation procedure of neologisms, the following types of neological creation have been established in our corpus: by composition: 6; borrowing: 3; and by acronym: 1.
References
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Conflicto de intereses
Los autores declaran que no existe conflicto de intereses
Declaración de contribución de autoría
Beatriz Elisa González Fonseca: Conceptualización, redacción -borrador original-, -revisión y edición-, investigación, metodología.
José Carlos Guevara Alayón: Redacción -revisión y edición-, conceptualización
Omar Luis Ramos Hechavarría:Redacción -revisión y edición-, conceptualización
Luz.23(4), e1477, octubre-diciembre, 2024.