Xorijiy lingvistika va lingvodidaktika
–
Зарубежная
лингвистика
и
лингводидактика
–
Foreign
Linguistics and Linguodidactics
Journal home page:
https://inscience.uz/index.php/foreign-linguistics
The linguocultural characteristics of COVID-19 neologisms
in American newspaper publications through a diachronic
corpus
Nozimjon ATABOYEV
1
, Rustam KARIMOV
2
, Rano YUSUPOVA
3
Bukhara State University
ARTICLE INFO
ABSTRACT
Article history:
Received March 2025
Received in revised form
15
March 2025
Accepted 25
April 2025
Available online
15
May 2025
The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly impacted not only
public health and global economies but also the way people
communicate. One significant linguistic phenomenon observed
during this period is the surge in neologisms
–
newly coined words
and expressions that reflect novel social realities. This study
explores the linguocultural characteristics of COVID-19-related
neologisms in American newspaper publications by utilizing a
diachronic corpus covering the years 2020 to 2023. The analysis
focuses on identifying the dominant word-formation processes,
such as blending, affixation, and compounding, that were prevalent
in the creation of pandemic-related vocabulary. Furthermore, the
research highlights how these linguistic innovations encapsulate
specific cultural attitudes, including American values of
individualism, technological adaptation, humor, and resilience in
the face of adversity. By tracking the evolution and frequency of
selected neologisms over time, this study illustrates how certain
terms gained widespread usage, while others quickly faded as
societal priorities shifted. The findings contribute to a broader
understanding of how crises accelerate language change and
demonstrate the integral relationship between linguistic creativity
and cultural context. This research also suggests that studying such
neologisms provides valuable insights into the emotional, social,
and ideological responses of a society during times of
unprecedented global disruption. Future studies might benefit
from cross-cultural comparisons or focus on the longevity and
integration of these neologisms into mainstream American English.
2181-3663
/©
2025 in Science LLC.
https://doi.org/10.47689/2181-3701-vol3-iss3-pp130-136
This is an open-access article under the Attribution 4.0 International
(CC BY 4.0) license (
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.ru
Keywords:
COVID-19 neologisms,
linguocultural analysis,
American newspapers,
language change,
diachronic corpus,
pandemic discourse,
word-formation processes,
media linguistics,
crisis-driven language
innovation,
cultural linguistics.
1
Doctor of Philology, Professor, Bukhara State University.
2
PhD, Associate Professor, Bukhara State University.
3
Doctoral student, Bukhara State University.
Xorijiy lingvistika va lingvodidaktika
–
Зарубежная лингвистика
и лингводидактика
–
Foreign Linguistics and Linguodidactics
Issue
–
3
№
3 (2025) / ISSN 2181-3701
131
COVID-19 neologizmlarining Amerika gazeta nashrlaridagi
lingvokulturologik xususiyatlari diaxronik korpus orqali
ANNOTATSIYA
Калит сўзлар:
COVID-19 neologizmlari,
lingvokulturologik tahlil,
Amerika gazetalari,
til o‘zgarishi,
diaxronik korpus,
pandemiya diskursi,
so‘z yasash jarayonlari,
media lingvistikasi,
inqirozga bog‘liq til
innovatsiyasi,
madaniy lingvistika.
COVID utilizzati pandemiyasi nafaqat jamoat salomatligi va
global iqtisodiyotga chuqur ta’sir ko‘rsatdi, balki odamlarning
muloqot tarziga ham sezilarli ta’sir qildi. Ushbu davrda
kuzatilgan muhim lingvistik hodisalardan biri neologizmlarning
keskin ko‘payishi bo‘ldi –
bu yangi ijtimoiy haqiqatlarni aks
ettiruvchi yangi so‘zlar va iboralar. Ushbu tadqiqot 2020
-yildan
2023-
yilgacha bo‘lgan davrni qamrab oluvchi diaxronik korpus
yordamida Amerika gazetalarida COVID-
19 bilan bog‘liq
neologizmlarning lingvokult
urologik xususiyatlarini o‘rganadi.
Tadqiqot pandemiya bilan bog‘liq so‘zlarning yaratilishida
ustunlik qilgan so‘z yasash jarayonlarini, masalan, qo‘shish,
qo‘shimcha qo‘shish va birikma so‘zlar hosil qilishni aniqlashga
qaratilgan. Bundan tashqari, ushbu lingvistik yangiliklar
Amerika qiymatlari, ya’ni individuallik, texnologik moslashuv,
hazil va qiyinchiliklar oldida chidamlilik kabi o‘ziga xos madaniy
munosabatlarni qanday qamrab olganligini ko‘rsatadi.
Tanlangan neologizmlarning vaqt o‘tishi bilan evo
lyutsiyasi va
ishlatilish chastotasini kuzatish orqali ushbu tadqiqot ayrim
atamalar keng tarqalganligini, boshqalari esa ijtimoiy
ustuvorliklar o‘zgargan sari tezda yo‘qolib ketganligini
ko‘rsatadi. Tadqiqot natijalari inqirozlar tilning o‘zgarishini
qanday tezlashtirishi va lingvistik ijodkorlik bilan madaniy
kontekst o‘rtasidagi uzviy bog‘liqlikni qanday namoyon qilishini
kengroq tushunishga hissa qo‘shadi. Ushbu tadqiqot,
shuningdek, bunday neologizmlarni o‘rganish jamiyatning misli
ko‘rilmagan global i
nqiroz davridagi hissiy, ijtimoiy va ideologik
javoblarini
tushunish
uchun
qimmatli
ma’lumotlar
berishini ko‘rsatadi. Kelajakdagi tadqiqotlar madaniyatlararo
taqqoslashlar yoki ushbu neologizmlarning Amerika ingliz tiliga
integratsiyasi va uzoq umr ko‘rishiga e’tibor qaratishi mumkin.
Лингвокультурные
характеристики
неологизмов
COVID-
19 в американских газетных публикациях через
диахронический корпус
АННОТАЦИЯ
Ключевые слова:
неологизмы COVID
-19,
лингвокультурный
анализ,
американские газеты,
языковые изменения,
диахронический корпус,
дискурс пандемии,
Пандемия COVID
-
19 оказала глубокое воздействие
не только на общественное здоровье и мировую экономику,
но и на способы коммуникации людей. Одним из
значительных лингвистических явлений, наблюдаемых в
этот период, стало резкое увеличение неологизмов –
новых
слов и выражений, отражающих новые социальные реалии.
Данное
исследование
изучает
лингвокультурные
Xorijiy lingvistika va lingvodidaktika
–
Зарубежная лингвистика
и лингводидактика
–
Foreign Linguistics and Linguodidactics
Issue
–
3
№
3 (2025) / ISSN 2181-3701
132
процессы
словообразования,
медиалингвистика,
языковые инновации
в условиях кризиса,
культурная лингвистика.
характеристики неологизмов, связанных с COVID
-19,
в американских газетных публикациях с использованием
диахронического корпуса, охватывающего период с 2020
по 2023 годы. Анализ сосредоточен на выявлении
доминирующих процессов словообразования, таких как
смешение,
аффиксация
и
композиция,
которые
преобладали при создании лексики, связанной с пандемией.
Кроме того, исследование подчеркивает, как эти
лингвистические новшества отражают специфические
культурные установки, включая американские ценности
индивидуализма, технологической адаптации, юмора и
устойчивости перед лицом трудностей. Отслеживая
эволюцию и частотность использования избранных
неологизмов
с
течением
времени,
исследование
демонстрирует, как некоторые термины получили широкое
распространение, тогда как другие быстро исчезли по мере
изменения общественных приоритетов. Результаты
исследования вносят вклад в более широкое понимание
того, как кризисы ускоряют языковые изменения и
демонстрируют
тесную
взаимосвязь
между
лингвистическим творчеством и культурным контекстом.
Исследование также показывает, что изучение таких
неологизмов
предоставляет
ценные
сведения
об
эмоциональных, социальных и идеологических реакциях
общества
в
период
беспрецедентных
глобальных
потрясений. Будущие исследования могут сосредоточиться
на кросс
-
культурных сравнениях или на изучении
долговечности и интеграции этих неологизмов в основной
американский английский язык.
INTRODUCTION
The outbreak of COVID-19 in late 2019 and its rapid escalation into a global
pandemic significantly affected all aspects of human life, from health systems and
economies to education and everyday social interactions. Among these profound impacts,
language change emerged as a subtle yet powerful reflection of how societies adapted to
new realities. In particular, the English language, especially within American media
discourse, experienced a remarkable influx of neologisms
–
newly created words and
expressions
–
designed to describe unprecedented phenomena, practices, and emotions
brought about by the pandemic.
Neologisms such as "social distancing," "quarantine fatigue," "Zoom-bombing," and
"maskne" not only captured practical aspects of pandemic life but also revealed deeper
cultural attitudes, societal tensions, and collective coping strategies. The American media,
and specifically newspapers like
The New York Times
,
The Washington Post
, and
USA Today
,
served as key platforms for the dissemination, stabilization, and popularization of these
new terms. Through their widespread and repeated use, newspapers played a crucial role
in shaping the linguistic and cultural narrative of the pandemic.
This study investigates the linguocultural characteristics of COVID-19-related
neologisms found in American newspaper publications, using a diachronic corpus
approach that traces their evolution from 2020 to 2023. By examining the word-formation
Xorijiy lingvistika va lingvodidaktika
–
Зарубежная лингвистика
и лингводидактика
–
Foreign Linguistics and Linguodidactics
Issue
–
3
№
3 (2025) / ISSN 2181-3701
133
processes, semantic nuances, and cultural connotations embedded in these neologisms,
the research aims to reveal how language not only adapted to but also actively constructed
the social reality of the pandemic era. Moreover, the diachronic perspective allows for an
analysis of how certain terms rose to prominence while others faded, reflecting shifting
societal concerns and attitudes over time.
Understanding these linguistic innovations offers valuable insights into broader
cultural patterns and highlights the dynamic interplay between language, society, and
crisis. The findings of this research contribute to the growing div of knowledge on
pandemic linguistics and the sociocultural dimensions of language evolution in times of
global upheaval.
METHODS
This study employs a mixed-methods approach, integrating both qualitative and
quantitative analyses to examine the linguocultural characteristics of COVID-19-related
neologisms in American newspaper publications. A diachronic corpus was created by
collecting articles published between January 2020 and December 2023 from prominent
American newspapers, specifically
The New York Times
,
The Washington Post
,
USA Today
,
and
Los Angeles Times
. Articles were selected using targeted keywords such as
"COVID-19," "coronavirus," "pandemic," "lockdown," and "quarantine" to ensure relevance
to the pandemic context. In total, around 5,000 articles were gathered, forming a corpus of
over three million words, systematically organized into yearly sub-corpora to facilitate
longitudinal analysis.
Neologisms were identified through a combination of automated and manual
methods. Initially, frequency lists were generated for each sub-corpus using corpus
analysis software, and terms that showed a significant increase in usage compared to pre-
pandemic corpora (2018
–
2019) were shortlisted. Subsequently, manual verification was
conducted to confirm the novelty, contextual relevance, and cultural significance of each
candidate neologism. Only those terms that were explicitly related to pandemic-induced
changes in lifestyle, health behavior, social interaction, or technology usage were included
for further analysis.
The analysis of the selected neologisms focused on uncovering the dominant word-
formation processes such as blending, affixation, compounding, and semantic shift.
Particular attention was paid to identifying linguocultural markers within the neologisms,
exploring how cultural values, emotions, societal tensions, political ideologies, and humor
were reflected through linguistic innovation. By tracking the frequency and context of use
of these neologisms across the four years, the study was able to detect diachronic trends,
observing which terms gained widespread acceptance and which gradually diminished
from public discourse.
Interpretation of the results was conducted within the framework of linguocultural
theory, emphasizing the interplay between language, thought, and cultural patterns.
Contextual factors such as political developments, vaccination campaigns, the emergence
of new virus variants, and shifts in public health policies were also considered to better
understand the socio-cultural environment in which these linguistic changes occurred.
Thus, this methodological approach provides a comprehensive understanding of the
dynamic relationship between language and culture during a global crisis.
Xorijiy lingvistika va lingvodidaktika
–
Зарубежная лингвистика
и лингводидактика
–
Foreign Linguistics and Linguodidactics
Issue
–
3
№
3 (2025) / ISSN 2181-3701
134
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The analysis of the diachronic corpus revealed that the COVID-19 pandemic
prompted an exceptional wave of neologism creation in American newspapers, with a
noticeable concentration during the initial phases of the pandemic in 2020. Among the
most prominent word-formation processes observed were blending, compounding,
affixation, and semantic shifts. Blended words such as
covidiot
(COVID-19 + idiot) and
infodemic
(information + epidemic) became widely popular, demonstrating how humor
and criticism were linguistically fused to address emerging social behaviors. Compound
forms like
social distancing
,
remote learning
, and
contact tracing
reflected the urgent need
to label new practices and protocols that quickly became part of everyday life. Affixation
was anoth
er productive process, with prefixes like “pre
-
” and “post
-
” attached to pandemic
contexts (e.g.,
pre-pandemic norms
,
post-COVID world
), and new derivations such as
vaxxed
and
unvaxxed
gaining rapid circulation.
Culturally, the neologisms revealed key aspects of American society during the
pandemic. Terms like
freedom rally
and
mask-shaming
pointed to the cultural tension
between personal liberty and collective responsibility. Words such as
Zoom fatigue
and
quarantini
illustrated how technology-mediated life and psychological coping mechanisms
entered the linguistic landscape. Humor, satire, and resilience were recurring cultural
themes embedded in many of the coined terms, showing how Americans used language
creatively not only to name but also to emotionally navigate the crisis.
The diachronic analysis highlighted clear shifts over time. In 2020, neologisms
primarily centered on immediate health concerns and behavioral adaptations, such as
flatten the curve
,
self-isolate
, and
lockdown
. By 2021, with the development and
distribution of vaccines, the focus of neologisms shifted to terms related to vaccination
status and emerging variants, including
vaccine passport
,
jabbed
,
Delta variant
, and
breakthrough infection
. In 2022 and 2023, there was a noticeable stabilization in neologism
creation, with existing terms becoming institutionalized within the language and media
discourse. Some terms faded as societal concern decreased (e.g.,
shelter-in-place
), while
others remained prominent due to ongoing relevance (e.g.,
long COVID
).
Figure 1. COVID-19 Neologism Formation Types in American Newspapers.
Xorijiy lingvistika va lingvodidaktika
–
Зарубежная лингвистика
и лингводидактика
–
Foreign Linguistics and Linguodidactics
Issue
–
3
№
3 (2025) / ISSN 2181-3701
135
An important finding is that not all neologisms achieved long-term integration into
everyday language. Factors influencing the longevity of neologisms included media
repetition, public resonance with the term, simplicity, and emotional salience. For
example,
COVID-19
itself, although a technical term coined by the World Health
Organization, became a fixed part of global discourse due to its ubiquitous presence, while
playful terms like
Blursday
(a blend of "blur" and "Thursday" to describe the loss of time
sense during quarantine) had a more limited and temporal use.
Another significant observation was the strong interplay between media framing
and linguistic innovation. Newspapers did not merely reflect societal changes but actively
shaped public understanding and attitudes through the introduction and popularization of
specific terms. In many cases, newspapers functioned as linguistic gatekeepers, selectively
amplifying certain neologisms that aligned with wider cultural narratives about resilience,
scientific trust, or civil liberties.
Overall, the findings confirm that neologisms served as both practical and symbolic
tools during the pandemic, helping individuals and communities to make sense of
unprecedented experiences. They provide valuable insight into how language adapts
dynamically to social crises, encapsulating not only new realities but also cultural
emotions, ideologies, and collective memories. This study highlights the crucial role of
media as both a mirror and a catalyst of linguistic and cultural change during times of
societal upheaval.
CONCLUSION
The present study has demonstrated that the COVID-19 pandemic significantly
influenced the development of new linguistic phenomena, particularly the emergence of a
wide range of neologisms within American newspaper publications. Through a diachronic
corpus analysis covering the years 2020 to 2023, it was revealed that neologisms not only
fulfilled a communicative need by naming new realities but also carried deep
linguocultural meanings that reflected the values, emotions, and ideological tensions
within American society during the crisis.
The findings indicate that word-formation processes such as blending, compounding,
affixation, and semantic shifts were highly productive during the pandemic period. Moreover,
the dynamic nature of neologism usage, with some terms quickly becoming obsolete and
others entering permanent usage, highlights the responsiveness of language to socio-cultural
and psychological needs. Terms related to health practices, technological reliance, emotional
states, and political debates emerged prominently, demonstrating that language served both
descriptive and expressive functions during the pandemic.
Importantly, the role of the media, especially newspapers, was found to be
instrumental not only in disseminating new terms but also in legitimizing them through
frequent usage and framing strategies. By amplifying certain neologisms, the media helped
shape collective perceptions of the pandemic, thus influencing societal attitudes and
behaviors.
This research underscores the close interplay between language, culture, and crisis,
showing that linguistic innovation during global upheavals can provide valuable insights
into the collective consciousness of a society. Future studies could benefit from extending
the analysis to other forms of media, such as social media platforms, or conducting
comparative cross-cultural investigations to further explore the global dimensions of
pandemic-induced linguistic change.
Xorijiy lingvistika va lingvodidaktika
–
Зарубежная лингвистика
и лингводидактика
–
Foreign Linguistics and Linguodidactics
Issue
–
3
№
3 (2025) / ISSN 2181-3701
136
In conclusion, the neologisms generated during the COVID-19 pandemic not only
enriched the English lexicon but also served as cultural artifacts that capture the social,
emotional, and ideological landscape of a historic period. Their study contributes
significantly to our understanding of how language evolves in response to extraordinary
events and continues to be a vital instrument of human adaptation and cultural expression.
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