Leiden University Student Repository

Vermeulen, Martijn (2021)

The Formal Status of Splinters in COVID-Related Neologisms

Bachelor thesis | Engelse taal en cultuur (BA)

This thesis investigates the morphological status of COVID-related splinters. It examines whether the splinters cov(i)-, -demic, and quaran- are in the process of becoming combining forms, in similar vein to forms like -(a)holic, a splinter which has developed into a combining form. Corpus-based investigation and feature-based analysis have shown that cov(i)- and -demic indeed behave like combining forms in word formation processes, while quaran- does not. However, an analysis of its lexical structure has indicated that it is not impossible for quaran- to become a combining form eventually.

Neologisms

blends

splinters

morphology

combining forms

COVID-19

Author

Vermeulen, Martijn

Faculty

Faculty of Humanities

Specialisation

Linguistics

Supervisors

Elenbaas, M.B.

ECTS Credits

10

Language

en