The Teeming Mass: New Language in New Times: Language Change in Action

The Coronavirus Pandemic has massively impacted society, changing our lifestyles, our mindset, and even our language. Language has had an incredibly important role in reacting to the pandemic. Linguist Michael Halliday suggests that language suits the needs of society. As society changes, language too is constantly changing. New words have been created in response to our current circumstances. Some words have experienced a resurgence, becoming part of everyday life, while others have lost popularity in recent times. Despite the resistance language change faces from prescriptivists, it is natural, constant and the pandemic is a living example of it.

Due to the unique nature of the Coronavirus Pandemic and its resulting lockdown, new words have been created and gained popularity. With all aspects of life, including sporting events, exams, and festivals, being disrupted, we find the language of pre-Coronavirus times no longer describes our situation. Instead, neologisms have become relevant as they offer a means of describing our circumstances in ways existing words could not. ‘Covidiot’, meaning a person behaving irresponsibly during quarantine, is one example of neologism specific to the Coronavirus Pandemic. The first time I remember seeing this word was the day after U.K. schools were closed indefinitely, it was trending in the U.K. for the first, of many times. It was initially an unfamiliar word but it soon became part of the new normal. ‘Covidiot’ isn’t the only Coronavirus-specific word gaining popularity, other examples include:

Corona-cuts: Hairstyles created during lockdown

Hamsterkaufing: Stockpiling and/or hoarding

Isobar: An at-home cocktail bar

Quaratini: A martini mixed in quarantine

These neologisms are examples of blending, where two existing words are combined to create a new word. Older examples of this include ‘smog’, from smoke and fog, and ‘brunch’, from breakfast and lunch. The effects of the virus are being felt worldwide, and as a result, English is not the only language influencing Coronavirus neologisms, for example, ‘Hamsterkaufing’, meaning stockpiling or hoarding, has German origins. Coronavirus-specific innovations highlight the versatility of language, and while they may face criticism from prescriptivists, they offer unique ways of describing and understanding our times.

Alongside these innovations, existing but almost obsolete words have made a return to common usage, including ‘unprecedented’, a word I cannot recall being used before the quarantine but which now features in the majority of news broadcasts. Several other existing words have had a spike in popularity due to the pandemic including:

Hunkering down

Cabin fever

Stir crazy

Uncertain times

The new normal

Bounce back

These words, while existing before the Coronavirus Pandemic, have become useful and adaptable in these uncertain times. For instance, ‘cabin fever’ is typically associated with ships at sea, but those living in isolation have resonated with the term and applied it to the current situation. Even in times of great uncertainty, words can be relied upon as a way of expressing, explaining and understanding our situation.

Much has changed since the start of 2020, the world is a different, altered place, but language has adapted, as it often does, to suit it. While no one can say definitively to what extent the pandemic will impact language, the longevity of Coronavirus-specific words is likely dependent on the extent to which the pandemic continues to impact our lives. Arguably, once lockdowns are relaxed and life begins to move back to normal, there could be less use for these words. However, without a vaccine, Coronavirus looks set to remain in our lives for the foreseeable future. Additionally, the decision of The Académie Française to denote ‘Covid’ as feminine, rather than following the masculine ‘Coronavirus’, suggests that the pandemic is here to stay, and its impacts will continue to be felt long after lockdowns are lifted.