Neologisms formed by neoclassical compounding

patterns, morphology, and cultural critique

Abstract

This article aims to analyze a subset of neologisms created via neoclassical compounding in Brazilian Portuguese, focusing primarily on their morphosemantic features. Neoclassical compounding is characterized by including at least one constituent that is a neoclassical root, generally of Greek or Latin origin. Traditionally restricted to terminology and special domains, neoclassical compounds have increasingly spread into general language, especially in recent coinages. Several formations, such as blablablâmetro, mamatocracia, and machosfera, often carry humorous and ironic tones, reflecting the high productivity of classical elements in generating new compounds, particularly in digital genres. The theoretical framework draws on studies by Booij (2007), Cabré (2015), Gonçalves & Almeida (2014), Hayashi (2024), Nóbrega (2013), Pruvost & Sablayrolles (2019), Rio-Torto et al. (2013), among others, and discusses the structural patterns of neoclassical compounds, the complexity in distinguishing neoclassical elements as either compounding or derivational units, and their representation in constructional templates. The methodology includes: (i) compiling the study corpus (2020-2025) and the exclusion corpus (2007-2019) by web scraping journalistic articles; (ii) contrasting both corpora via an automatic neologism Extractor; (iii) manually validating the neologisms using pre-established criteria applied to the Extractor’s candidate list; and (iv) analyzing the validated units. The results reveal the behavior of neoclassical compounds in terms of the recurrence of certain roots in specific positions, the formation of complex structures with two, three, or more roots, the combinatory potential of neoclassical elements, and the possibilities of derivation and truncation. The corpus-based occurrences of the [X-fobia] and [tele-Y] compounds are mapped into constructional networks to reflect how speakers identify patterns and, by analogy, create new formations that combine neoclassical roots with vernacular elements. The analysis suggests a convergence between morphological processes and extralinguistic critique, often expressed through ironic references to behaviors and cultural phenomena of the digital age.