Relexicalizing

Relexicalizing is a term used in linguistics to describe the process by which the lexicon of a language or language variety is altered, typically through the replacement or introduction of lexical items. The process can arise from factors such as contact with other languages, technological innovation, social or political change, and deliberate standardization efforts. Relexicalization may involve adopting established terms from other languages, creating new neologisms, or reassigning new meanings to existing words (semantic shift).

Mechanisms of relexicalization include lexical borrowing, calquing, semantic extension or narrowing, and lexical rebranding within specific domains such as technology, science, medicine, or politics. It often reflects broader sociolinguistic dynamics, including prestige, identity, and community needs, and can affect pronunciation, morphology, and orthography as borrowed or newly coined terms become naturalized.

Relexicalization is distinct from relexification, a related concept sometimes used in historical and creole linguistics, where a language’s lexicon is replaced with that of another language while attempting to preserve grammatical structure. While relexification emphasizes a wholesale lexical influx, relexicalization can operate at varying degrees, from selective lexical replacement to broad terminology shifts across a language.

Examples of relexicalization include the adoption of English technical vocabulary into non-English languages, the rise of brand names or internet-era terms as common nouns, and shifts in everyday language as new technologies or social practices become pervasive. The phenomenon highlights how language adapts to changing communicative needs and social realities.