DISTINCTIVE FEATURES OF MASSMEDIA NEOLOGISMS IN AMERICAN VARIANT OF CONTEMPORARY ENGLISH LANGUAGE
Statement of the problem. The article defines the notion of “media neologism”, its constituent features that distinguish this type of neologic unit from those already known are derived; the ways of forming media neologisms in the American version of modern English are studied, and the extra- and intralinguistic reasons for their occurrence. Results. The media nature of neologization is expressed in two aspects: firstly, in the influence of electronic communication on word-formation processes, and, secondly, in the transfer of a significant proportion of communicative practices to the information space of the Internet network. Disincentive features of media neologisms include: the possibility of deviation from the grammatical and spelling norms of the literary language; absolute novelty of media growth for users of media channels of communication; the tendency to simplify the content component of the sign while preserving nominative and terminological parameters; euphemization; high degree of ideological and manipulative content; insignificant lexicographical mastery and, as a consequence, the variation of spelling; compensatory filling of the communicative spheres, which are addressed by the media “focus”. Structural features of media neologisms are: compounding with a component containing this novelty, and has long been functioning in the language system; active use of abbreviations; the popularity of contaminated formations. The word-forming mechanisms of media neologisms include: change in meaning; affixation; conversion; abbreviation homonymy; attribution; borrowing. Media neologisms can be any structural types of neo-lexics, irrespective of the functional-stylistic (sociolectal) confinement. Conclusion. Dedicated features of media neologisms allow us to say that media neologization has caused the emergence of a special cluster of vocabulary in the system of the American version of modern English, which reacts subtly to changes in the extralinguistic plane and with a high degree of internationalization.