Leksikalisi

Leksikalisi is a linguistic term used to describe the process by which a word, phrase, or construction becomes a fixed lexical item in a language. It covers how a form and its meaning become stored and used as a single unit in the lexicon, rather than remaining a loose or temporary expression.

The term is related to lexicalization, and its exact spelling appears in various languages with slight variation. In Indonesian and Malay, cognate forms such as leksikalisasi or leksikalisi are used to refer to this process. In English-language linguistics, the closest and more common term is lexicalization, though the concept is parallel across languages.

Leksikalisi typically involves several mechanisms. A new expression may be coined, borrowed, or reanalyzed and then adopted repeatedly in daily speech until it is treated as a stable word or fixed multiword unit. Semantic extension, broadening, narrowing, or metaphorical shift can accompany the process. Phonological reduction or bleaching can help a form become more compact and easier to store in the mental lexicon. Once established, the item often appears in dictionaries and standard reference usage.

Examples often cited in discussions of lexicalization include the verb to google, which originated as a brand name and became a common verb; the noun emoji, which moved from a technical term to everyday vocabulary; and the noun selfie, derived from a clipped form of self-portrait. Such items illustrate how new linguistic material can transition from novelty to routine, shaping a language’s active lexicon.

Related concepts include lexical borrowing, grammaticalization, semantic shift, and the creation of neologisms or multiword expressions.