“Word of the year” and “key situation”: on expanding the current vocabulary
The article analyses the vocabulary that has been used in Russian discourse since January 2020, when the beginning of the coronavirus infection was announced. In the author's opinion, this vocabulary reflects the key situation of this year. It is a well-known practice when various countries organize annual events to select a language unit that has been recognised as the most popular and symbolic word of the year. The author suggests using the term “key situation of the year”. This concept is more convenient because it allows us to distinguish a whole group of topical words that characterise this situation. As a rule, a situation involves several events, for the designation or description of which either new words appear or well-established ones are actualised. Using the example of a key situation in 2020, the author looks at how the lexical structure of the Russian language acquires new topical vocabulary. The core of the semantic field of the words related to the key situation (coronavirus) was formed by words reflecting the events: self-isolation (quarantine, lockdown), remote social interaction, wearing masks. The situation of the coronavirus has led to the appearance of a large number of neologisms. Among the productive ways of word formation, the most prominent one is compounded words, the way with distinctive creative potential. The active vocabulary has been enriched due to the appearance and creation of new vocabulary (neologisms and occasionalisms) and thanks to rethinking of the old vocabulary and creating new combinations.