An Analysis Of Word-formation Trends In Neologisms Based On OED

As a weather vane of social culture,neologisms incorporate new concepts and ideas into the changes of the physical world.Neologisms have always been the focus of lexicographical research.However,the research of neologisms in OED starts from1880 to 1982.The study is too out-dated to cover the neologisms that have renewed in recent years.The thesis will analyze neologisms based on OED online to summarize the word-formation characteristics and trends of its changes in contemporary English neologisms to provide the guidance on collecting neologisms for learner’s dictionaries.This thesis adopts both a synchronic and a diachronic method.Firstly,626 neologisms based on OED online are extracted.Secondly,these neologisms are further divided into four types,namely compounding,affixing,shortening and others,which are subclassified and studied in detail.Thirdly,synchronically,48 sample neologisms whose earliest quotation time falls between 1983 and 2019,a time span of16 years.Fourthly,a diachronic method is adopted to compare the result of this study with that of the study conducted by Laurie Bauer between 1880 and 1982.The results of comparison indicate that 1)the percentage of compounding is increasing steadily,surpassing that of affixing;2)the increasing number of new words by shortening signifies that English is adapting itself to functioning more efficiently.Shortening signifies that English develops towards a trend of economy and simplification.Moreover,the decreasing of borrowings means that English has gradually become a more powerful language exporter,whose word-formation ability is strengthening;3)the decreasing of borrowings means that English has been weakened in its role as a language importer.By analyzing the English word-formation and the trends of their changes,this thesis aims to provide some guidance for lexicographers on the collecting of contemporary English neologisms for learner’s dictionaries.And it can therefore helpEnglish learners to capture the nature of word-formation so as to enlarge student’s vocabulary and improve their use of English in such a rapid changing world with English as lingua franca.