Les mots des réseaux sociaux
Social Networking Words

Author(s): Adam Renwick
Subject(s): Theoretical Linguistics
Published by: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego
Keywords: anglicisms; neologisms; linguistic borrowing; corpus linguistics; anglicismes; neologisms; emprunts linguistiques; linguistique de corpus
Summary/Abstract: A diachronic corpus of wide-circulation French journalistic discourse was used as the basis for the study of terms relating to social media/networks as well as terms derived from the names of social media/networks. It is revealed that while most social media/networks have little, if any, specialised vocabulary, Twitter, is notable in the abundance of its related vocabulary in French. Analysing the French terms used for six key notions relating to this social media shows that while the influence of English is undoubtedly important, and that some French equivalents to English borrowings do circulate, the bulk of terms used – both types and tokens – are borrowings. However, one case is described where a French term, non-existent in English has become more widely used than its borrowed equivalent. Some cases of neological creativity relating to Twitter are also detailed, further demonstrating the implantation and circulation of the fundamental concepts related to this particular social media. // Un corpus diachronique de francais journalistique a grand tirage a ete utilise pour examiner la circulation des vocables specifiques a certains reseaux et medias sociaux. Nous demontrons que, meme si la plupart des medias et reseaux sociaux ont un vocabulaire specifique peu developpe, Twitter est particulier parce que son vocabulaire specifique est tres developpe. L’analyse des vocables francais utilises pour denommer six notions cles de Twitter demontre que, meme si l’influence de l’anglais est sans doute importante et certains equivalents francais aux emprunts a l’anglais circulent, la plupart des termes - tant au niveau des formes repertoriees qu’au niveau des occurrences - sont des emprunts. Pourtant, nous analysons un cas ou un terme francais, inconnu en anglais, s’utilise a une frequence beaucoup plus elevee que l’emprunt equivalent. D’autres cas d’activite neologique ayant trait a Twitter sont analyses, demontrant l’ampleur de la circulation de certaines des notions de base de ce media social.

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