Mechanisms of the emergence of lexical innovations in language

Abstract

Lexical innovation constitutes a pivotal mechanism through which languages continually adapt to evolving cultural, technological, and social landscapes. However, extant research often addresses individual processes—such as neologism formation or borrowing—in isolation, leaving an integrative understanding of their full spectrum and interplay largely unexplored, particularly in the Azerbaijani context. In this study it is investigated the mechanisms driving lexical innovation across both traditional and digital domains, aiming to classify the primary processes and elucidate the internal and external factors underpinning their emergence. Drawing upon a critical literature review and illustrative case analyses from Azerbaijani and globally circulated English terms, the research identifies a comprehensive typology that includes formal neologisms, neosemantic extensions, morphological calques, compounding, derivation, abbreviations, metaphor, and onomatopoeia, among others. It further reveals how globalization, digital communication platforms, and subcultural language practices catalyze not only the creation but also the rapid diffusion and eventual conventionalization of new lexical items. Our results contribute to theoretical models of language change by offering an integrated framework for understanding lexical dynamics in languages under intense intercultural contact.