Dictionaries, Neologisms, and Linguistic Purism

Abstract

A discrepancy between the perceptions of the dictionary as gatekeepers and the dictionary as a description of the language can be observed among the general public and lexicographers. This discrepancy is particularly obvious when we consider the inclusion of neologisms. Linguistic purism is generally seen by its advocates as an effort to protect a language. It is particularly relevant when we consider borrowings. These considerations serve as a background for the special issue on New Words and Linguistic Purism, which consists of an article on the background theory, three case studies focused on German, Italian, and Slovak, and a contrastive study of German and Greek which also adds some further theoretical considerations on linguistic purism.