LEXICAL INNOVATION IN DIGITAL DISCOURSE: A CORPUS-BASED STUDY OF NEOLOGISMS ON SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS

Digital communication has radically transformed language use, with social media platforms acting as catalysts for lexical innovation. This study investigates neologisms emerging in English digital discourse on Twitter, TikTok, Reddit, and Instagram. Using a corpus-based approach, we compiled a 120,000-word sample to identify and classify 83 newly coined lexical items by their morphological features and semantic fields. Our findings reveal the significant role of digital environments in fostering linguistic creativity and driving the gradual standardization of neologisms. The implications for English lexicology, sociolinguistics, and digital linguistics are discussed.