Series in Linguistics, Culture and FLT. Vol 1. Asenevtsi trade Ltd.: Sofia, 2016. 65-77 1 UNDERSTANDING NAME-BASED NEOLOGISMS 1 Aleksandra Aleksandrova 2 Abstract: The paper deals with neologisms based on proper names. It traces the main mechanisms by which such neologisms are formed, namely metonymic shift of meaning, affixation and blending. The creation and stability of neologisms depends on factors such as the cultural and political context. Examples in support of the abovementioned statements are provided in the paper. Key words: proper names, neologisms, metonymy, affixation, blending. Introduction A neologism is defined as a new word or expression, or a word used with a new meaning (Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English). Newmark (1988) defines neologisms as “newly coined lexical units or existing lexical units that acquire a new sense” (Newmark 1988: 140). Bhagavan and Mishra (2013) classify the following types of neologisms according to their “life cycle”:  unstable – very new or being used only by a small sub-culture (also branded as protologisms);  diffused – having attained a noteworthy incidence of use, but not yet having gained pervasive acceptance;  stable – having gained recognizable, being in vogue, and perhaps, gaining lasting acceptance;  dated – the point where the word has ceased being novel, entered formal linguistic acceptance and even may have passed into becoming a cliché;  passé – when a neologism becomes so culturally dated that the use of it is avoided because its use is seen as a stigma, a sign of being out of step with the norms of a changed cultural tradition, perhaps, with the neologism dropping from the lexicon altogether (see Bhagavan, Misha 2013: 26). Neologisms related to the use of proper names that appear in the analysed corpus belong to the first three types: unstable, diffused, and stable. Proper names can form neologisms by metonymical shift of meaning, affixation and blending. Analysis  Metonymic shift of meaning A shift in category from common to proper nouns is one of the ways for the creation of proper names. A shift in meaning in the opposite direction (from proper to common nouns) is also present. This shift is metonymically motivated and happens with a name that very often appears in the media and is mentioned in relation with a certain phenomenon or event. The name becomes synonymous with that phenomenon and at a later stage it turns into a common noun. In an article from 24 Chasa newspaper, „ɤɚɥɢɧɤɚ”, which is the Bulgarian word for a ladybird, functions as a common noun for someone who has been appointed on some high-level administrative position on political grounds without having the necessary qualifications: Ƚɨɧɹɬ „ɤɚɥɢɧɤɢɬɟ” ɨɬ ɜɥɚɫɬɬɚ ɇɚɪɨɞɧɨɬɨ ɫɴɛɪɚɧɢɟ ɫɩɢɪɚ ɫɴɫ ɡɚɤɨɧ ɧɚɩɥɢɜɚ ɧɚ “ɤɚɥɢɧɤɢ” ɩɨ ɜɴɪɯɨɜɟɬɟ ɧɚ ɞɴɪɠɚɜɧɚɬɚ ɚɞɦɢɧɢɫɬɪɚɰɢɹ, ɩɢɲɟ ɜ. “Ɍɪɭɞ”. Ɂɚɦ.-ɦɢɧɢɫɬɪɢ, ɨɛɥɚɫɬɧɢ ɭɩɪɚɜɢɬɟɥɢ ɢ ɡɚɦɟɫɬɧɢɰɢɬɟ ɢɦ, ɤɚɤɬɨ ɢ ɲɟɮɨɜɟ ɧɚ ɚɝɟɧɰɢɢ ɢ ɤɨɦɢɫɢɢ ɡɚɞɴɥɠɢɬɟɥɧɨ ɬɪɹɛɜɚ ɞɚ ɢɦɚɬ ɡɚɜɴɪɲɟɧɚ ɦɚɝɢɫɬɴɪɫɤɚ ɫɬɟɩɟɧ. ….ȼ ɡɚɤɨɧɚ ɟ ɡɚɩɢɫɚɧɨ, ɱɟ ɞɴɪɠɚɜɟɧ ɫɥɭɠɢɬɟɥ ɳɟ ɫɟ ɫɬɚɜɚ ɫɚɦɨ ɫɥɟɞ ɤɨɧɤɭɪɫ ɢ ɢɡɞɴɪɠɚɧ ɬɟɫɬ. (24 Chasa, 07/072016) 1 Please cite this article as: AlОбanНroЯa, A. “MoНТПТОН PropОr NamОs Тn EnРlТsС anН Тn BulРarТan”. CСallОnРОs Тn EnРlТsС tОaМСТnР anН research. In ToНoroЯa Оt al. (ОНs.). “CСallОnРОs Тn EnРlТsС Teaching and Research”. SОrТОs Тn LТnРuТstТМs, CulturО anН FLT. Vol 1. Asenevtsi trade Ltd.: Sofia, 2016. 65-77. 2 University of Shumen, Department of English Studies, Shumen, Bulgaria