A Model of Attitudinal Reasons for Neologism Use

Area of Science:

• Psycholinguistics
• Sociolinguistics
• Language and Cognition

Background:

• Neologisms, or new words, are a common feature of language evolution.
• Understanding speaker attitudes towards neologisms is crucial for explaining their adoption and spread.
• Previous research has explored various reasons for neologism use, but a unified model of speaker attitudes was lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize existing literature on intrapersonal reasons for neologism use.
• To develop and empirically test a model of speaker attitudes towards neologisms.
• To investigate how these attitudes influence the desire to use new words.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature synthesis was conducted to identify core factors influencing speaker attitudes.
• A conceptual model of speaker attitudes was derived, comprising efficiency, extravagance, and extralinguistic relevance.
• Three empirical studies were performed to validate the model and assess its predictive power on neologism use.

Main Results:

• The developed model effectively captured the diverse range of feelings speakers have about neologisms.
• Each of the three core factors (efficiency, extravagance, extralinguistic relevance) was found to be relevant to neologism use.
• Speaker attitudes significantly impact their willingness to adopt and employ new words.

Conclusions:

• Speaker attitudes towards neologisms are multifaceted, influenced by perceptions of efficiency, extravagance, and relevance.
• These attitudes play a significant role in determining whether individuals incorporate new words into their lexicon.
• The findings provide a robust framework for understanding the psychological drivers behind neologism adoption.