“Viral” Innovations in Modern Media Communication

The article deals with word-forming neologisms that have appeared in connection with the spread of coronavirus infection (COVID-19). The research is based on the material collected from the media communication. The paper analyses innovations created on the basis of the key lexemes of the socio-cultural space virus, quarantine, corona, coronavirus, pandemic, epidemic, COVID. Such words refl ect illness and fear of death. There are derivatives formed with the help of usual methods of word formation such as prefi xation and addition. However, the paper describes non-formal methods of word production (inter-word overlap, substitution derivation, graphic hybridization) as well. Occasional nominations are more expressive, original and evaluative. In addition, innovations are means of wordformation games, focusing readers’ attention on current sociopolitical issues and have a visual impact on the recipient. The results of the study may be of interest to journalists, as well as to specialists in the fi eld of word-for mation neology.