ENEOLI – European Network On Lexical Innovation
A COST Action studying lexical innovation (neology) in European languages, developing a multilingual glossary of neology, digital methods and tools for detecting new words, comparative studies and training.
Lead Investigator: Maciej Ogrodniczuk
- Grant Number
- CA22126
- Start Date
- 6 October 2023
- End Date
- 5 October 2027
Project factsheet
| English name: | European Network On Lexical Innovation |
| Project type: | COST Action CA22126 |
| Duration: | 6 October 2023 – 5 October 2027 |
| Extended information: | https://www.cost.eu/actions/CA22126/ |
| Project website: | https://eneoli.eu/ |
| Chair of the Action: | Giovanni Luca Tallarico |
| Vice Chair of the Action: | Rute Costa |
| Polish participation: | Linguistic Engineering Group, Institute of Computer Science, Polish Academy of Sciences |
Polish members of the Management Committee
- Maciej Ogrodniczuk (Institute of Computer Science, Polish Academy of Sciences), MC Member
- Weronika Wozniak-Zak, MC Member, Grant Awarding Coordinator of the Action
Project description
Neology is the study of lexical innovation in natural languages, in multiple contexts and over time. Lexical innovation is a massive, permanent and universal phenomenon. From a strictly linguistic point of view, the study of neology “contributes to a better understanding of the lexical system of a given language and its evolution” (Sablayrolles 2019: 7), while from an extralinguistic point of view, “the inventory of neologisms also gives much information about language communities in their material lives and social representations” (ibid.).
The key challenges addressed by the network may be summarised thus:
- Define the core terminology of neology conceived as a discipline through the creation of a born-digital specialised multilingual glossary (none exist currently) in order to facilitate research on an international scale.
- Adapt digital methodologies and tools to identify and account for lexical innovation; thanks to the involvement of institutions, experts and the general public (crowdsourcing), increase the awareness of lexical creations and their societal implications, foster creativity in mother tongues, clarity in institutional communication and in science.
- Carry out comparative studies on lexical innovation in European languages, with a particular focus on borrowings and their equivalents.
- Provide specific training in neology for translators, editors, journalists, technical writers and teachers through a specific protocol that could be replicated for any European language.
Conferences, training schools and short-term scientific missions are also planned in order to achieve the aforementioned goals.
Working groups
- WG1: Multilingual glossary of neology – an open-access multilingual glossary of the core terms used in neology.
- WG2: Methods, digital resources and tools for neology – an online repository of digital resources, methods and tools for research on lexical innovation.
- WG3: Diachronic and synchronic comparative studies of neology – comparison of recent neologisms, including borrowings, across languages.
- WG4: Training in neology – methodology and teaching materials for neology in professional fields such as translation, terminology and lexicography.
Maciej Ogrodniczuk is a member of WG2.