Word forms – Coronavirus has led to an explosion of new words and phrases

COVID-19 and Linguistic Creativity

Adapted from Coronavirus has led to an explosion of new words and phrases – and that helps us cope.

Put the words given in the correct blanks. You have to use their correct forms to make a meaningful passage. There are two extra words that you cannot use.

neology birthday connect establish relation
precede mobile utilise article break
The COVID-19 pandemic triggered an 1.
Answer: unprecedented
Explanation: The adjective ‘unprecedented’ is formed from the root ‘precede’ (to come before) with the prefix ‘un-‘ and suffix ‘-ed’, describing something that has never happened before.
explosion of linguistic creativity, serving as a vital tool for society to process sudden, drastic changes. In his analysis, Associate Professor Robert Lawson explores how new vocabulary – ranging from 2.
Answer: established
Explanation: The past participle ‘established’ functions as an adjective here to describe terms that are already widely recognized and accepted.
terms like self-isolating to 3.
Answer: neologisms
Explanation: The noun ‘neologisms’ (plural) refers to newly coined words or expressions. It is the noun form derived from ‘neology’.
like covidiot, Blursday, and WFH – helps people make sense of the changes that have suddenly become part of their everyday lives.
This phenomenon is not unique to coronavirus; historical crises such as World War II, the Vietnam War, and Brexit similarly 4.
Answer: birthed
Explanation: The verb ‘birthed’ is used here in the past tense as a synonym for ‘gave rise to’ or ‘originated’.
lasting terminology. However, the scale of linguistic creativity surrounding COVID-19 is distinct. Beyond merely naming a disease, this kind of lexical “social glue” allows individuals to 5.
Answer: articulate
Explanation: The verb ‘articulate’ means to express thoughts or feelings clearly. It is the verb form derived from the same root as ‘article’.
anxieties, share humor, and maintain a sense of community during isolation.
Lawson attributes the rapid spread of these terms to our modern digital 6.
Answer: connectivity
Explanation: The noun ‘connectivity’ refers to the state of being connected, specifically through digital networks and communication systems.
. Unlike during previous 7.
Answer: outbreaks
Explanation: The plural noun ‘outbreaks’ refers to the sudden start of a disease. It is a compound noun formed from the root ‘break’.
like SARS (2002) or Swine Flu (2009), social media people to coin a new term and share it beyond their immediate local communities instantly. Ultimately, this linguistic creativity is more than ornamental; it is a practical, 8.
Answer: utilitarian
Explanation: The adjective ‘utilitarian’ describes something designed to be useful or practical rather than just decorative.
shorthand. By reshaping how we engage with the world, these metaphors and words help us unify and cope with the challenges of a “new normal”.

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