neologinen

Neologinen is an adjective used in linguistics to describe phenomena related to neology, the creation, introduction, and study of new words or new meanings within a language. A neologism is a newly coined word, a newly borrowed term, or a new sense attached to an existing word. In Finnish usage, neologinen is the adjective describing neologisms or the field of neology. The term derives from neo- “new” and -logia “study” in many languages, and neologinen functions to describe words, meanings, or linguistic processes that are recent relative to the language community.

Neologisms are formed through processes such as derivation, affixation, compounding, blending, clipping, and conversion; semantic extension expands existing words to new senses. Calques translate foreign expressions into native equivalents; borrowings bring terms from other languages, sometimes adapting them to local phonology and morphology. Acronyms and initialisms also coin new lexical items. Not all neologisms endure; many are confined to specific domains like technology or youth culture.

Adoption depends on social factors, frequency of use, and perceived usefulness. Lexicography, corpora, and style guides track usage and decide whether a neologism becomes part of a standard vocabulary. Some neologies spread rapidly, others fade, and still others stabilize in regional or specialist registers.

See also neologism, language change, lexicology.