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Title: Stylistic functions of neologisms in English language chick lit

 

Vol. 14(1), 2026, pp. 43-55

DOI: https://doi.org/10.46687/QUBQ1588     

 

Author: Maryna Bielova

About the author: Maryna Bielova is a PhD in Applied Linguistics and an Associate Professor in the Department of Foreign Philology at H. S. Skovoroda Kharkiv National Pedagogical University (Kharkiv, Ukraine). She is currently a Researcher at Risk, funded by the British Academy/CARA, and hosted by the University of Birmingham (Birmingham, UK). Her research interests lie at the intersection of cognitive linguistics, discourse studies, translation studies, and lexical creativity, with a particular focus on how creative language functions across different types of discourse. The article published in this issue forms part of the approbation of her postdoctoral research on lexical creativity in literary discourse and contributes to ongoing interdisciplinary debates in linguistics and cultural studies.

E-mail: m.bielova@bham.ac.uk                   

belova.mo@hnpu.edu.ua 

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1306-9395         

 

Link: http://silc.fhn-shu.com/issues/2026-1/SILC_2026_Vol_14_Issue_1_043-055_13.pdf

 

Citation (APA): Bielova, M. (2026). Stylistic functions of neologisms in English language chick lit. Studies in Linguistics, Culture, and FLT, 14(1), 43-55. https://doi.org/10.46687/QUBQ1588

 

Abstract: This article explores the stylistic functions of neologisms in English language chick lit, a genre characterized by its wit, relational focus, and female-centered narratives. While lexical innovation has been widely studied in science fiction and children’s literature, its role in popular women’s fiction remains underexplored. This study examines how neologisms in chick lit are deliberately formed to reflect character identity, enhance humor, dramatize emotional states, and critique consumerism and gender norms. Through qualitative textual analysis, it is shown that these coinages – ranging from playful blends to metalinguistic jokes – function as stylistic tools with strong social and expressive charge. The findings contribute to the broader study of lexical innovation in fiction by situating chick lit as a genre where language is actively shaped to reflect contemporary cultural dynamics.

Key words: neologisms, lexical creativity, word morphology, English language chick lit, stylistic functions.

 

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