THE LINGUISTIC IMPACT OF THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC: THE EMERGENCE OF NEW WORDS AND PHRASES

Аннотация

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly affected not only global health and economics but also language. This paper explores how the coronavirus has become a catalyst for linguistic innovation, leading to the creation and widespread adoption of new words, phrases, and abbreviations. It examines the mechanisms behind lexical change during crises, focusing on the integration of these neologisms into everyday English and their reflection of social behavior, technology, and media influence. Keywords: COVID-19, neologisms, language change, lexical innovation, pandemic vocabulary, sociolinguistics Language is a dynamic and adaptive system that evolves alongside societal developments. The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in late 2019 and its global escalation throughout 2020 presented a unique moment in linguistic history. Coronavirus is one of the main factors that cause the emergence of new words and phrases. As people adapted to new realities, language followed. The English language, in particular, saw the birth and popularization of a wide array of new terms, such as lockdown, social distancing, flatten the curve, and Zoom fatigue. These expressions reflect the collective experience of a world undergoing rapid change. The emergence of new words during pandemics can be explained by various linguistic theories. According to Bauer (1983), neologisms arise through compounding, blending, borrowing, and affixation. During COVID-19, these processes accelerated due to the media, social networks, and the global spread of information. Examples include: Borrowing: Quara Italian (quaranta Isolation for 40 days to prevent disease ntine giorni) spread Pand Greek (pan = all, demos = people) A global outbreak of a disease emic Virus Latin A microscopic infectious agent 96 THEORETICAL ASPECTS IN THE FORMATION OF PEDAGOGICAL SCIENCES International scientific-online conference English (American Government-imposed restriction on Lockdown slang) movement PCR (Polymerase Chain Scientific A test used to detect virus genetic Reaction) English material Antigen Greek + Latin A substance that triggers an immune response SARS Medical acronym Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome 1) Compounding: Coronababy A baby born during the coronavirus pandemic Covidiot A person who ignores COVID-19 safety rules Mask-shaming Criticizing someone for not wearing a mask Quarantine-fat Weight gained during lockdown/quarantine Zoom-meeting A meeting held using Zoom video conferencing Pandemic-proof Designed to work effectively during a pandemic Home-schooling Educating children at home instead of at school Work-from-home (WFH) Performing one's job duties from home 2) Blending: Information + A rapid spread of misinformation during a Infodemic epidemic crisis Covexit COVID + exit The process of easing out of lockdown restrictions Quaranteam Quarantine + team A group of people quarantining together Corona + Time off from work due to the pandemic, often Coronacation vacation seen as a break Doom + Continuously scrolling through bad or Doomscrolling scrolling depressing news Maskne Mask + acne Acne or skin irritation caused by wearing face masks COVID + Heightened awareness and caution related to Covigilance vigilance COVID-19 Sanitagged Sanitizer + tagged Marking or labeling an item as sanitized These mechanisms were driven by an urgent need to describe new realities quickly and effectively. COVID-19 Related Lexical Innovations: 97 THEORETICAL ASPECTS IN THE FORMATION OF PEDAGOGICAL SCIENCES International scientific-online conference a) Imported and Adapted Terms Many terms became popular through their use by health organizations and media outlets. Lockdown: A period of strict restrictions on movement. Social distancing: Maintaining physical space to prevent virus spread. Flatten the curve: A metaphor describing efforts to slow infection rates. PPE (Personal Protective Equipment): Became common in both professional and casual conversation. b) Informal and Internet-Born Neologisms Informal terms emerged from online communities and pop culture: Covidiot: Someone ignoring public health advice. Zoom-bombing: The act of intruding into video calls. Coronacation: Time off due to COVID, often used humorously. Doomscrolling: Excessively scrolling through bad news online. c) Linguistic Creativity and Humor Humor became a coping mechanism. Wordplay and irony gave rise to expressions like: Panic-buying, quaranteam, coronials (babies born during quarantine). This shows how language also plays a psychological role during crises. Language reflects culture, and pandemic-born terms encapsulate the behavioral, emotional, and technological shifts society experienced. Words like WFH (working from home) and hybrid learning represent new norms. These linguistic changes highlight adaptation and resilience, as well as anxiety and satire. Moreover, the global adoption of English neologisms has influenced other languages, either through direct borrowing or translation. This reveals the globa