Neologisms by siglacion in contemporary Spanish: from occasional use to lexicalization

Abstract

In a context where technological advances generate new forms of communication and pose new denominative needs, language adapts by means of processes such as, for example, siglation. Many of the forms that arise through this mechanism circulate widely, but do not always achieve lexicographic recognition or morphological stability. This poses challenges for their analysis from a neological perspective. This study examines the lexicalization process of four lexical units formed by siglation —cedé, tevé, mp3 and sms— in order to evaluate whether they can be considered neologisms in current Spanish. From the analysis of their presence in normative dictionaries and linguistic corpora, as well as their frequency of use, dialectal spread and textual dispersion, patterns of integration and permanence in the linguistic system are identified. It is concluded that all the units analyzed show signs of lexical stabilization, although to varying degrees and with graphic and morphological nuances relevant to lexicographic policy and neological analysis. Overall, the results show that the lexicalization of acronyms depends not only on frequency or dispersion criteria, but also on graphic and phonological adaptation processes that consolidate their integration into common usage, highlighting the need to review normative parameters to more accurately reflect the real dynamics of the lexicon.