Analysis on the Acceptability of New Covid 19 Terms Formation in the Target Language Equivalence

Abstract

New terms have emerged in society as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. Foreign language terms are also used more frequently, and when considered from a sociological perspective, the employment of foreign or new terms might create a split between people if they are not properly socialized. The goal of this study is to examine factors that influence the acceptability of new Covid-19 terms in the context of the target language, specifically in Indonesia. The effects of the equivalent terms used by most people are not particularly pleasant to hear, and they are more widely accepted in their original English meanings. To understand this phenomenon, the current study synthesizes morphological and sociolinguistic approaches. This study adopts a qualitative descriptive strategy, which entails describing the status of the study object based on the observed facts. The focus of this study is on the new Covid-19 terms, aiming to determine the pattern of acceptability in the target language equivalence from both morphological and sociolinguistic viewpoints. During the Covid-19 pandemic, 34 data terms were identified. According to the findings, the majority of new Covid-19 terms are derived from English. This is reasonable given the global nature of the disease, often referred to as a pandemic that requires an international response. Acceptance of new terms for COVID-19 is contingent upon the equivalent findings in the target language feeling natural and familiar to the reader/listener. The target language's rules are adhered to in terms of words, phrases, clauses, and sentences. Conversely, new terms are not accepted if the comparable results in the target language feel unnatural, even if there is a minor grammatical error or a slight difficulty with the usage of technical terms. The study examines how term equivalence is produced in Indonesian, considering the norms of word formation from a morphological viewpoint. Sociolinguistics is employed to understand how the acceptance of new term equivalency is received in society. This study is expected to benefit readers and linguistics activists by contributing to the scientific knowledge in this field.

Keywords: Acceptability, New Covid 19 Terms, Target Language Equivalence

DOI: 10.7176/JEP/15-1-08

Publication date: January 31^st 2024