NEOLOGISMS IN MEME LANGUAGE: VIOLATION OF NORMS OR INNOVATION? EVIDENCE FROM UZBEK DIGITAL DISCOURSE
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47390/SPR1342V5I10Y2025N54Abstract
Memes circulating in digital environments rapidly introduce new units into Uzbek: abbreviations, hybrid spellings, blends, graphical enhancers and emojis. Using a corpus-based approach, this paper identifies and classifies meme-induced neologisms and examines how their apparent ‘norm violation’ intersects with innovative language change. The empirical base is a sample corpus of popular Telegram and Instagram posts from 2024–2025 (n≈1,000). Units of analysis include word-formation type, script (Latin/Cyrillic), emoji participation, meme format, and pragmatic function. We outline growth patterns, stabilization paths, and relations to standard norms, and offer recommendations for education, media and lexicography.
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