Neologismeither

Neologismeither is a coinage used in linguistics to describe a neologism formed by blending elements from two or more languages within a single word. Such coinages commonly arise in bilingual or multilingual communities and online discourse, where speakers fuse morphemes from different linguistic systems to express new concepts, identities, or nuanced meanings. The term emphasizes hybridity rather than straightforward borrowing.

Etymology and scope: The word combines neologisme, the French term for a newly coined word, with either, an English connector highlighting cross-language composition. It is used in contemporary sociolinguistic discussions to categorize a particular class of coinages that cannot be fully captured by traditional labels like loanwords, calques, or pure composites.

Characteristics: Core features include cross-linguistic blending at the morpheme or syllable level, single-word orthographic realization, informal or semi-formal register, and semantic extension beyond the source languages. The social or pragmatic function is also important, including signaling bilingual identity, group solidarity, humor, or precise expressive nuance.

Usage and examples: Neologismeither words often appear in social media, blogs, or casual conversation. For illustration, a term such as “websanté” (web + santé) can denote online health information or services, illustrating cross-language blending. The coinage itself—neologismeither—can be used as a label for such words in linguistic discussion.

Relation to related concepts: Neologismeither is related to macaronicism, code-switching, and word blends, but it focuses specifically on single-word formations that merge linguistic material from multiple languages.

See also: code-switching, macaronicism, portmanteau, calque.