Neologisms and Language Evolution: English ЕГЭ 2025 Preparation
Understanding neologisms and language evolution is essential for staying current with English as it is actually used today. This guide will help you recognize and understand new words and expressions that have entered the language, as well as the processes by which English continues to evolve. This knowledge will enhance your reading comprehension and vocabulary skills for the ЕГЭ English exam.
Theory for Exam Preparation
Language is constantly evolving, with new words and expressions being created to describe new concepts, technologies, cultural phenomena, and social changes. Neologisms are newly coined words or expressions, or existing words that have acquired new meanings. Understanding how and why new words enter the language, and how existing words change meaning over time, is an important aspect of language proficiency. In the ЕГЭ English exam, you may encounter texts that contain recent neologisms, particularly in passages about technology, social media, contemporary culture, or current events. This guide will explore the different types of neologisms, the processes by which they are formed, and the factors that drive language evolution. By familiarizing yourself with common neologisms and understanding the patterns of word formation, you will be better equipped to comprehend modern English texts and demonstrate a sophisticated understanding of the language in your writing.
Understanding Neologisms
What Are Neologisms?
Neologisms are newly coined words, expressions, or phrases, or existing words that have acquired new meanings. They emerge to describe new concepts, technologies, cultural phenomena, or social changes. Neologisms often begin in specialized contexts or subcultures before potentially entering mainstream usage.
Types of Neologisms
New Words
Completely new words that have been invented or created.
Examples:
- Blog (1999): A regularly updated website or web page, typically run by an individual or small group
- Selfie (2002): A photograph that one has taken of oneself
- Cryptocurrency (2009): Digital currency that uses cryptography for security
- Doomscrolling (2020): The habit of continuously scrolling through bad news
New Meanings for Existing Words
Words that have been in the language for some time but have acquired new meanings.
Examples:
- Cloud: Originally referred to visible mass of water droplets in the sky; now also refers to a network of remote servers for storing data
- Tweet: Originally referred to the chirping sound of birds; now also refers to a post on the social media platform Twitter
- Viral: Originally referred to relating to a virus; now also describes content that spreads rapidly online
- Catfish: Originally a type of fish; now also refers to someone who creates a false online identity
Borrowed Words
Words adopted from other languages with little or no modification.
Examples:
- Hygge (Danish): A quality of coziness and comfortable conviviality
- Schadenfreude (German): Pleasure derived from another person's misfortune
- Emoji (Japanese): A small digital image used to express an idea or emotion
- Influencer (French influence + English -er): A person with the ability to influence potential buyers of a product or service
Compound Words
New words formed by combining two or more existing words.
Examples:
- Webinar (web + seminar): An online seminar or presentation
- Infographic (information + graphic): A visual representation of information or data
- Glamping (glamorous + camping): A form of camping with amenities not usually associated with traditional camping
- Hangry (hungry + angry): Irritable or bad-tempered as a result of hunger
Blends
New words formed by merging parts of two or more words.
Examples:
- Brunch (breakfast + lunch): A meal eaten in the late morning
- Smog (smoke + fog): A type of air pollution
- Staycation (stay + vacation): A vacation spent at home or nearby
- Frenemy (friend + enemy): A person with whom one is friendly despite a fundamental dislike or rivalry
Acronyms and Initialisms
Words formed from the initial letters of a phrase.
Examples:
- FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out): Anxiety that an exciting event may be happening elsewhere
- LOL (Laughing Out Loud): Used to indicate humor
- YOLO (You Only Live Once): Used to express the view that one should make the most of the present moment
- COVID-19 (COronaVIrus Disease 2019): The disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus
Eponyms
Words derived from the name of a person or place.
Examples:
- Google (from Google): To search for information on the internet
- Zoom (from Zoom Video Communications): To participate in a video conference call
- Photoshop (from Adobe Photoshop): To edit or manipulate a digital image
- Brexit (from Britain + exit): The withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union
Formation Processes of Neologisms
Affixation
Adding prefixes or suffixes to existing words.
Examples:
- Unfriend (un- + friend): To remove someone as a friend on social media
- Gamification (game + -ification): The application of game-design elements in non-game contexts
- Cyberbullying (cyber- + bullying): The use of electronic communication to bully someone
- Rewatchable (re- + watch + -able): Worth watching multiple times
Conversion
Changing a word's part of speech without changing its form.
Examples:
- To friend (noun to verb): To add someone as a friend on social media
- To text (noun to verb): To send a text message
- To ghost (noun to verb): To abruptly cut off all communication with someone
- To adult (noun to verb): To behave like a responsible adult
Back-formation
Creating a new word by removing a real or perceived affix from an existing word.
Examples:
- To edit (from editor)
- To liaise (from liaison)
- To surveil (from surveillance)
- To enthuse (from enthusiasm)
Clipping
Shortening a word by removing one or more syllables.
Examples:
- App (from application)
- Blog (from weblog)
- Gym (from gymnasium)
- Flu (from influenza)
Onomatopoeia
Words that phonetically imitate the sound they describe.
Examples:
- Ping: The sound of a notification
- Zoom: The sound of fast movement
- Beep: The sound of an electronic alert
- Buzz: The sound of vibration
Language Evolution
Factors Driving Language Change
Technological Advancement
New technologies often require new vocabulary to describe them.
Examples:
- Smartphone: A mobile phone that performs many functions of a computer
- Streaming: Watching or listening to content in real-time over the internet
- Blockchain: A system of recording information in a way that makes it difficult to change
- Artificial intelligence: The simulation of human intelligence in machines
Social and Cultural Changes
Changes in society and culture often lead to new words or new meanings for existing words.
Examples:
- Woke: Alert to injustice and discrimination in society
- Ghosting: The practice of ending a relationship by suddenly ceasing all communication
- Mansplaining: The explanation of something by a man to a woman in a condescending way
- Cancel culture: The practice of withdrawing support from public figures after they have done or said something considered objectionable
Globalization
Increased contact between languages leads to borrowing and influence.
Examples:
- Sushi (Japanese): A Japanese dish of prepared vinegared rice with various toppings
- Barista (Italian): A person who makes and serves coffee
- Tsunami (Japanese): A long, high sea wave caused by an earthquake or other disturbance
- Zeitgeist (German): The defining spirit or mood of a particular period
Media and Popular Culture
Movies, TV shows, music, and other forms of media can introduce new words or popularize existing ones.
Examples:
- Muggle (from Harry Potter): A person without magical powers
- Bazinga (from The Big Bang Theory): An expression used to emphasize a joke or prank
- Truthiness (from The Colbert Report): The quality of seeming true even if not necessarily true
- Dothraki (from Game of Thrones): A fictional language that has entered popular culture
Social Media and Internet Culture
Online communication has led to many new words and expressions.
Examples:
- Hashtag: A word or phrase preceded by the # symbol
- Meme: An image, video, or piece of text that is copied and spread rapidly by internet users
- Troll: A person who posts inflammatory content online to provoke others
- Clickbait: Content designed to attract attention and encourage visitors to click on a link
Stages of Language Change
Innovation
A new word or meaning is created or introduced.
Adoption
The new word or meaning begins to be used by a wider group of people.
Diffusion
The new word or meaning spreads to different communities or contexts.
Standardization
The new word or meaning becomes accepted as part of standard language, often appearing in dictionaries.
Decline
Some neologisms fall out of use or become less popular over time.
Historical Examples of Language Evolution
Old English to Middle English
Significant changes occurred after the Norman Conquest in 1066, with many French words entering the language.
Examples:
- Beef (from French "boeuf")
- Court (from French "cour")
- Government (from French "gouvernement")
- Justice (from French "justice")
Middle English to Modern English
The Great Vowel Shift (14th-18th centuries) changed the pronunciation of many words.
Examples:
- Name (pronounced "nahm" in Middle English, "naym" in Modern English)
- Time (pronounced "teem" in Middle English, "taym" in Modern English)
- House (pronounced "hoos" in Middle English, "hows" in Modern English)
- Mouse (pronounced "moos" in Middle English, "mows" in Modern English)
Recent Changes
Language continues to evolve rapidly in the digital age.
Examples:
- Google becoming a verb
- Friend becoming a verb on social media
- Cloud acquiring a new meaning in computing
- Literally being used to mean figuratively in informal contexts
Neologisms in Different Domains
Technology and Computing
| Neologism | Meaning | Formation Process |
|---|
| Cryptocurrency |
Digital currency that uses cryptography for security |
Compound (crypto + currency) |
| Phishing |
The fraudulent practice of sending emails purporting to be from reputable companies |
Blend (password + fishing) |
| Malware |
Software designed to damage or gain unauthorized access to a computer system |
Blend (malicious + software) |
| Screenager |
A teenager who spends a lot of time using digital devices |
Blend (screen + teenager) |
Social Media and Internet Culture
| Neologism | Meaning | Formation Process |
|---|
| Doomscrolling |
The habit of continuously scrolling through bad news |
Compound (doom + scrolling) |
| Finsta |
A fake or secondary Instagram account |
Blend (fake + Instagram) |
| Thirst trap |
A social media post intended to attract attention |
Compound (thirst + trap) |
| Stan |
An overzealous or obsessive fan |
Eponym (from Eminem's song "Stan") |
Business and Economics
| Neologism | Meaning | Formation Process |
|---|
| Gig economy |
A labor market characterized by short-term contracts or freelance work |
Compound (gig + economy) |
| Fintech |
Computer programs and other technology used to support or enable banking and financial services |
Blend (financial + technology) |
| Unicorn |
A startup company valued at over $1 billion |
New meaning for existing word |
| Freemium |
A business model where basic services are free, but additional features must be paid for |
Blend (free + premium) |
Health and Medicine
| Neologism | Meaning | Formation Process |
|---|
| Telemedicine |
The remote diagnosis and treatment of patients by means of telecommunications technology |
Compound (tele + medicine) |
| Maskne |
Acne caused by wearing a face mask |
Blend (mask + acne) |
| Long COVID |
A condition characterized by long-term effects following COVID-19 infection |
Compound (long + COVID) |
| Webinar |
A seminar conducted over the internet |
Blend (web + seminar) |
Environment and Sustainability
| Neologism | Meaning | Formation Process |
|---|
| Greenwashing |
Misleading information about how environmentally sound a product or service is |
Compound (green + washing) |
| Upcycling |
Reusing discarded objects or material to create a product of higher quality or value |
Affixation (up- + cycling) |
| Flexitarian |
A person who has a primarily vegetarian diet but occasionally eats meat or fish |
Blend (flexible + vegetarian) |
| Climatarian |
A person whose diet is based on foods that have a low impact on climate change |
Blend (climate + vegetarian) |
Understanding and Using Neologisms
Strategies for Recognizing Neologisms
- Context clues: The surrounding text often provides hints about the meaning of unfamiliar words
- Word formation patterns: Understanding common patterns can help you deduce meanings
- Cultural references: Being aware of current events, popular culture, and technological trends
- Prefixes and suffixes: Recognizing common affixes can help you understand new words
- Etymology: Knowing the origin of word parts can provide clues to meaning
Resources for Learning About Neologisms
- Online dictionaries: Many regularly update with new words (e.g., Oxford, Merriam-Webster)
- Word of the Year lists: Annual selections of significant new words
- Language blogs and websites: Sites dedicated to tracking language evolution
- Social media: Platforms where new terms often emerge and spread
- News media: Articles about language trends and new terminology
Using Neologisms Appropriately
- Consider the context: Some neologisms are appropriate only in informal settings
- Be aware of audience: Not everyone may be familiar with recent or specialized terms
- Avoid overuse: Too many trendy terms can make writing seem affected or unclear
- Provide explanation: When using a very new or specialized term, consider briefly explaining it
- Check currency: Some neologisms quickly become dated or change meaning
Neologisms and Language Evolution in the ЕГЭ English Exam
Reading Comprehension
In the reading section, understanding neologisms can help you:
- Comprehend texts about current topics, technology, and social media
- Infer the meaning of unfamiliar words from context
- Recognize the tone and register of a text
- Understand cultural references in contemporary writing
- Answer questions about the author's purpose or attitude
Writing Tasks
In the writing section, appropriate use of neologisms can help you:
- Demonstrate a broad and current vocabulary
- Express ideas about contemporary topics precisely
- Show awareness of register and audience expectations
- Write authentically about technology, social media, and current trends
- Avoid outdated expressions that might sound unnatural
Common Exam Topics Related to Neologisms
- Technology and its impact on society
- Social media and online communication
- Environmental issues and sustainability
- Modern work practices and the gig economy
- Cultural trends and popular entertainment
- Globalization and international influences
Practice Examples
Identify the formation process for each neologism and explain its meaning.
- Webinar
- Unfriend
- Brexit
- Binge-watch
- Selfie
Answers:
1. Webinar: Blend (web + seminar). A seminar or presentation conducted over the internet.
2. Unfriend: Affixation (un- + friend). To remove someone from a list of friends or contacts on a social networking website.
3. Brexit: Blend (Britain + exit). The withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union.
4. Binge-watch: Compound (binge + watch). To watch multiple episodes of a television program in rapid succession.
5. Selfie: Affixation (self + -ie). A photograph that one has taken of oneself, typically with a smartphone or webcam and shared on social media.
Match each neologism with its definition.
- Cryptocurrency
- Ghosting
- Fintech
- Doomscrolling
- Maskne
Definitions: a) Acne caused by wearing a face mask, b) Digital currency that uses cryptography for security, c) The practice of ending a relationship by suddenly ceasing all communication, d) Computer programs and other technology used to support banking and financial services, e) The habit of continuously scrolling through bad news
Answers:
1. Cryptocurrency - b) Digital currency that uses cryptography for security
2. Ghosting - c) The practice of ending a relationship by suddenly ceasing all communication
3. Fintech - d) Computer programs and other technology used to support banking and financial services
4. Doomscrolling - e) The habit of continuously scrolling through bad news
5. Maskne - a) Acne caused by wearing a face mask
Read the following passage and answer the questions about neologisms.
"The influencer posted a selfie on her Instagram account, which quickly went viral. Her followers began to stan her even more, and brands started reaching out for potential collaborations. However, she was careful to avoid greenwashing in her sponsored content, as she knew her Gen Z audience was particularly sensitive to such practices. She also made sure to engage with her community regularly to avoid being accused of ghosting her fans."
- What does "influencer" refer to in this context?
- What does it mean when something "goes viral"?
- What does "to stan" mean in this passage?
- What is "greenwashing"?
- What does "ghosting" mean in this context?
Answers:
1. An "influencer" refers to a person who has the ability to influence potential buyers of a product or service by promoting or recommending items on social media.
2. When something "goes viral," it spreads rapidly and widely on the internet through social sharing mechanisms.
3. "To stan" means to be an overzealous or obsessive fan of a particular person, often a celebrity.
4. "Greenwashing" refers to the practice of making misleading claims about how environmentally sound a product, service, or company is.
5. "Ghosting" in this context means suddenly ceasing all communication without explanation. In the passage, the influencer is avoiding this behavior by regularly engaging with her fans.
Identify whether each statement about language evolution is true or false.
- Once a word enters a language, its meaning never changes.
- Technological advancements often lead to the creation of new words.
- Borrowing words from other languages is a common way that English vocabulary expands.
- Social media has had no significant impact on language evolution.
- All neologisms eventually become accepted as standard language.
Answers:
1. False. Words frequently change meaning over time. For example, "nice" originally meant "foolish" or "silly" but now means "pleasant" or "kind."
2. True. New technologies often require new vocabulary to describe them, such as "smartphone," "blockchain," or "artificial intelligence."
3. True. English has borrowed many words from other languages, such as "sushi" from Japanese, "barista" from Italian, and "schadenfreude" from German.
4. False. Social media has had a significant impact on language evolution, introducing terms like "hashtag," "unfriend," and "tweet" (as a verb).
5. False. Many neologisms are short-lived or remain within specific communities. Only some become widely accepted and enter standard language.
Key Points to Remember
- Neologisms are newly coined words or expressions, or existing words that have acquired new meanings.
- Formation processes include affixation, blending, compounding, conversion, back-formation, clipping, and borrowing from other languages.
- Language evolution is driven by factors such as technological advancement, social and cultural changes, globalization, media, and internet culture.
- Stages of change include innovation, adoption, diffusion, standardization, and sometimes decline.
- Context is crucial for understanding neologisms and using them appropriately.
- Register awareness helps determine when and where to use neologisms, as many are informal or specific to certain domains.
- Cultural literacy enhances understanding of neologisms, as many are tied to current events, trends, or phenomena.
Exam Tip!
In the ЕГЭ English exam, you may encounter neologisms in reading passages, particularly those about technology, social media, or current trends. Remember:
- Use context clues to deduce the meaning of unfamiliar words
- Pay attention to word formation patterns to understand how neologisms are created
- Be cautious about using very recent or informal neologisms in your writing unless the task specifically calls for it
- When writing about contemporary topics, using appropriate and current terminology can demonstrate language proficiency
- Stay informed about current events and trends to better understand the cultural context of neologisms
Understanding neologisms and language evolution shows that you have a dynamic and current knowledge of English, which can help you perform better in both the reading and writing sections of the exam.