Introduction

Language is the primary means of ensuring mutual understanding among members of society. It is constantly evolving and enriching over time. Social, political, cultural, and technological changes within a society have a direct impact on language development. Especially in the context of globalization, digitalization, and the rapid growth of mass media, the need for words that express new concepts and phenomena has significantly increased. This demand has led to the emergence of neologisms. Neologisms are words that are newly introduced into the language or existing words used with a new meaning. This article analyzes the communicative functions of neologisms in English and Uzbek, their role in linguistics, their reflection in social life, and their significance among different social groups.

Firstly, it is important to clarify the concept of a neologism. A neologism is a word or phrase that emerges in response to various needs within a language (O‘zbek tilining izohli lug‘ati).  Many sources incorrectly define neologisms as loanwords. In fact, neologisms and loanwords are two distinct concepts. Loanwords are words borrowed from other languages, which over time adapt to the phonetic, grammatical, and orthographic rules of the Uzbek language. Neologisms, however, are either newly coined words created from existing elements within the language or previously existing words that have acquired new meanings. The key difference is that loanwords are generally well-known and easily understood by speakers (Zaynabiddinova, 2025).

Neologisms in both English and Uzbek emerge under the influence of different factors. In English, the process is more natural and driven by internal mechanisms, while in Uzbek, it is mostly influenced by external (exogenous) factors such as borrowings from Russian and English, a desire to sound modern, and the influence of social media. For example, English words like selfie, streaming, influencer, and ghosting describe technological and social innovations. Similarly, Uzbek has adopted terms like onlayn dars (online class), startap (startup), brifing, kontent, and bloger, which are increasingly used in everyday speech. These words not only convey information but also reflect the speaker’s worldview, level of modernity, and professional or social identity.

Another key concept to consider is communication. The term communicative relates to the process of exchanging ideas and information. Neologisms fulfill several major communicative functions. Firstly, they help convey information in a clear, concise, and modern way. For instance, the word streaming expresses the idea of watching videos directly via the internet, condensing what would otherwise require a longer explanation into a single, effective term. Similarly, in Uzbek, terms like onlayn taэlim (online education), mobil ilova (mobile app), and masofaviy ish (remote work) became widely used during the pandemic, helping society adapt to new informational realities.

A second important function is serving cultural and social identity. Neologisms often signal belonging to specific social groups, especially among youth, and reflect a desire to appear modern. For instance, the English term influencer refers to a social media personality with significant popularity and influence. In Uzbek, the word bloger originally referred to someone involved in journalism but now signifies anyone actively sharing opinions on social platforms with a large audience. In this way, language not only conveys information but also becomes a marker of social status and group identity.

The third function of neologisms is directly related to scientific and innovative fields. New technologies, economic concepts, and phenomena related to artificial intelligence require the use of neologisms. For example, English terms like AI (artificial intelligence), big data, and blockchain are entering the Uzbek scientific environment mostly in transliterated form rather than fully translated. While this sometimes draws criticism, it significantly facilitates international scientific cooperation and mutual understanding.

The fourth function is enhancing stylistic and emotional expression. Neologisms are often used as tools for humor, irony, or concise expression. For instance, English terms like FOMO (fear of missing out) and ghosting (suddenly cutting off communication) describe certain psychological states. Similarly, Uzbek neologisms such as karantin zerikishi (quarantine boredom), likechi (someone obsessed with likes), or shoumenlik qilish (showing off) vividly convey everyday situations.

Additionally, neologisms play an important role in the development of cognitive thinking. Every new concept, technology, or social phenomenon must first be named to take root in society's collective consciousness. A concept without a name cannot be fully grasped or integrated into everyday use. Therefore, neologisms enable faster assimilation of new ideas into daily life. For example, the term metaverse was initially used in scientific literature but has now become widespread among ordinary users. Similarly, Uzbek terms like raqamli iqtisodiyot (digital economy), startap (startup), and sun’iy intellekt (artificial intelligence) serve as tools for shaping collective thinking.

Neologisms have also become a core linguistic resource in modern mass media and social networks. The language of the internet itself is a constant source of neologisms. English words like meme, cancel culture, troll, and clickbait have spread so rapidly that they are now commonly used even in formal academic writing. In Uzbek, equivalents like mem, bekor qilish madaniyati (cancel culture), troll, and sarlavha tuzog‘i (clickbait) are either being newly created or directly borrowed. The role of social media is particularly significant here, as linguistics increasingly requires studying language not only through written and formal discourse but also through the lens of online, digital communication.

The influx of neologisms sometimes leads to social debates, particularly in Uzbek. New words, especially those borrowed in their English or Russian forms, are often criticized for being used despite having existing Uzbek equivalents. For instance, the word onlayn is frequently preferred over its Uzbek equivalent masofaviy. This highlights the ongoing search for balance between language policy, cultural independence, and modernity. As a result, linguists, journalists, and writers are increasingly recognizing the need for a standardized approach when adopting neologisms.

On the other hand, neologisms are indicators of linguistic richness. Each new word signals the dynamic development of language. However, if such words do not undergo processes of normalization and systematization within the language, they risk remaining transient. Therefore, one of the pressing tasks of modern linguistics is to standardize neologisms, ensuring they adhere to spelling, grammar, and stylistic norms. For example, in English, words like email and website were originally written as two separate words but have since become single accepted terms. Similarly, Uzbek requires unified spelling and stylistic conventions for terms like elektron pochta (email) and vebsayt (website).

Furthermore, neologisms contribute to the development of functional styles within a language. Whether used in official discourse, scientific writing, literary works, or journalistic texts, neologisms add a sense of modernity, relevance, and alignment with current societal realities. For example, journalistic expressions such as raqamli avlod (digital generation), sun’iy intellekt inqilobi (artificial intelligence revolution), and axborot jamiyati (information society) serve as powerful linguistic tools that encourage readers to engage with and analyze contemporary processes.

When analyzing neologisms, their etymology, structure, and function within the socio-cultural context deserve special attention. In English, many neologisms are formed through abbreviations, compounds, or by adding affixes to existing words. For example, portmanteau words like brunch (breakfast + lunch), staycation (stay + vacation), and workaholic (work + alcoholic) are both compact in form and efficient for communication. In contrast, Uzbek tends to apply word-formation mechanisms more cautiously, which often leads to the adoption of neologisms primarily through borrowing. This is partly due to the presence of conservative attitudes in society toward modern models of word formation, slowing the widespread adoption of new terms.

It is also essential to examine both the positive and negative aspects of neologisms and analyze their long-term sustainability. Every language accepts new words based on its internal linguistic rules. If a neologism integrates well, it becomes a regular lexical unit; otherwise, it eventually disappears. Linguists classify neologisms based on functional, structural, and semantic criteria, and analyzing the types of texts in which they appear helps to better understand neological processes. This approach supports language policy, enriches the national language, and promotes the development of modern scientific and literary styles.

Given the rapid pace of technological and social change, neologisms are expected to continue enriching the stylistic and emotional capacity of language in the future. Fields like globalization, artificial intelligence, the metaverse, quantum technologies, and green economy will inevitably introduce numerous new terms and expressions. These lexical units will function not only as tools for information transfer but also as means of stylistic enhancement and emotional expression.

In the future, neologisms will become tools for more precisely expressing peopleэs emotions, social status, and technological awareness. For instance, current English terms like ghosting, FOMO, cringe, and flex have quickly gained popularity. Similarly, terms like AI burnout, digital detoxer, meta-fatigue, and green-washer may become widely used stylistic and emotional expressions.

The Uzbek language is likely to follow the same trend, adopting expressions like raqamli toliqish (digital exhaustion), sun’iy intellektdan charchash (AI burnout), virtual hayotdan voz kechish (quitting virtual life), or ekobarqarorlikni faqat gapda targ‘ib qiluvchi (someone who promotes eco-sustainability only in words). These expressions will help convey emotional states, express opinions vividly, and communicate attitudes toward certain phenomena.

Additionally, future neologisms will often take the form of abbreviations, portmanteau words, and expressions rooted in internet culture. Just as English terms like staycation and workaholic are commonly used today, similar types of formations will likely emerge tomorrow. In Uzbek, words such as onlayntaqvim (online calendar), kontentchi (content creator), trendchi (trend follower), and vlogchi (vlogger) will continue enhancing stylistic and emotional impact.

Furthermore, new neologisms connected to the metaverse, artificial intelligence, and biotechnology will increasingly serve to define people’s digital lives and virtual identities. Terms like avatar charchashi (avatar fatigue), metajonlik (being meta-active), kvant foydalanuvchi (quantum user), and raqamli shaxs (digital persona) will help individuals articulate their status both in virtual and real worlds. Such words will not only convey information but also signal modernity, technological proficiency, and social standing.

Future neologisms will not only facilitate communication but also make language more expressive, vibrant, and impactful. Through these words, people will express not only ideas but also inner emotions, worries, joy, and identities. This trend will be especially prominent among younger generations, who will increasingly rely on neologisms for self-expression, appearing modern, and integrating into specific social groups.

In conclusion, future neologisms will have even greater stylistic and emotional influence. They will not only reflect technological or cultural phenomena but also invigorate communication, convey modern sentiments, and serve as powerful tools for social identity and personal branding.

In today’s era of globalization and digitalization, language constantly evolves and updates itself. Internet communication significantly impacts the lexical richness of language. As a result of modern technologies, social networks, and virtual communication formats, new words, phrases, and terms are rapidly emerging. Neologisms—new lexical units—have become an integral part of modern discourse.

The key feature of internet communication is that it demands fast, concise, and emotionally charged information exchange. Therefore, languages are quickly absorbing words that are easy to pronounce, clearly understood, and contextually relevant. These words are not only tools for information transfer but also symbols of stylistic richness, group identity, and modernity.

Linguistic studies confirm that neologisms emerge in several ways: first, by assigning new meanings to existing words; second, through abbreviations and hybrid word formations; and third, by directly borrowing or adapting words from other languages. Particularly, English-origin terms related to technology, business, the digital environment, and internet culture frequently enter other languages, including Uzbek.

Words typical of internet communication differ significantly from those used in ordinary speech. Their main function is to accelerate communication, convey emotions briefly and concisely, and ensure social identification. For example, commonly used expressions like kontentchi (content creator), blok qildi (blocked), trendga chiqish (to become a trend), story qildi (posted a story), like bosish (to like), and offline bo‘ldim (I went offline) clearly demonstrate this.

This process affects not only the lexical composition of language but also its cultural and psychological structure. For people communicating in a virtual environment, traditional grammar rules become less important. The main goal is fast communication, clarity, and emotional impact. As a result, the language of the internet tends to be informal, simplified, and heavily abbreviated.

Neologisms are spreading rapidly not only among young people but also across all age groups through internet platforms. On the one hand, they serve to express knowledge and skills related to modern technology; on the other hand, they reflect the linguistic manifestation of cultural changes in society. Internet language mirrors the psychological state, social status, cultural values, and communication needs of its users.

Neologisms create new stylistic opportunities in speech, fostering a unique emotional connection between speakers and listeners. For instance, simple phrases like blok qildi (blocked) or ghost qilib yubordi (ghosted) do not merely indicate a technical action but also express psychological processes within interpersonal relationships. This highlights the fact that language is constantly evolving. The internet has become the most active catalyst for language development, enriching not only the lexicon but also transforming linguistic structures and giving rise to new styles and forms of speech.

In conclusion, neologisms emerging through internet communication are now an inseparable part of language development. They fulfill not only technological and informational needs but also reflect the mindset, cultural values, and social life of modern people. Therefore, studying neologisms in the context of internet language is crucial not only from a linguistic perspective but also from psychological and cultural standpoints (Muxamedjanova, 2022).

It should be particularly emphasized that the emergence of neologisms in English happens much faster and in a more systematic manner. This is due to the language’s openness, flexible structure, and vast word-formation capabilities. In contrast, neologisms in Uzbek mostly enter through translation or borrowing, which slows down their full acceptance and normalization. Nevertheless, Uzbek has its own word-formation mechanisms that, if actively utilized, can lead to the creation of national neologisms.

In summary, neologisms in both English and Uzbek serve not only as lexical units for expressing new concepts but also as powerful communicative tools. They allow people to describe modern lifestyles, indicate social status, and convey developments in science and technology. The emergence of neologisms in both languages stems directly from societal needs. Moving forward, it will be crucial to study neologisms scientifically, adapt them to linguistic norms, and ensure their broad acceptance within society as part of effective language policy.