Languages evolve over time and new words and concepts are added to them through a variety of processes. Here are some common ways that new vocabulary and concepts are introduced to languages:
- Borrowing: Languages frequently borrow words and phrases from other languages, especially when new concepts are introduced that don't have existing vocabulary in the borrowing language. For example, English has borrowed many words from French, such as "rendezvous" and "faux pas".
- Compounding: New words can be created by combining two or more existing words, such as "selfie" (self + photograph) or "blueberry" (blue + berry).
- Neologisms: A neologism is a newly-coined word or expression that is not yet widely used in a language. Neologisms can be created in a number of ways, such as by combining existing words or by creating new words entirely.
- Acronyms and Initialisms: Acronyms and initialisms are formed by taking the first letter of each word in a phrase and using them to create a new word, such as "NASA" (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) or "COVID" (Coronavirus Disease).
- Semantic Shift: Sometimes existing words in a language take on new meanings or connotations. For example, the word "mouse" used to only refer to a small rodent, but it now also refers to a computer peripheral.
- Coinage: Sometimes new words are created from scratch, without borrowing from other languages or combining existing words. This is called coinage. For example, the word "google" was created as a verb to describe the act of searching for information online.
