ABSTRACT
As we begin this chapter, take a moment to reflect: What are some new words or phrases that have been coined recently? Or perhaps new meanings and uses of “old” words? For in many respects, the processes of lexical innovation in EIL are no different from what occurs in all languages. However, what lexical innovation signals in EIL is the dismantling of the simplistic notion of the imperial and hegemonic spread of ENGLISH as some kind of monolithic entity. Such a narrative suggests so-called non-native speakers can at best only imitate the language. However, while many users do not regard English as their mother tongue, it is nevertheless their language, an expression of their unique identity, histories, and socio-cultural contexts (McKay & Bokhorst-Heng, 2008). Notably as well, there has been a dramatic paradigm shift from monolingualism to bi-/ multi-lingualism as the defining feature of English language learners and users: they are mostly bilingual speakers, learning English in addition to their mother-tongue language(s), and using English in interaction with their other language(s); and they are using English in multilingual contexts, where English serves a very specific purpose in their linguistic repertoire. What this means is that English in its international contexts is dynamic as its speakers continually transform the languages they speak. This transformation is especially pertinent as it relates to vocabulary. Such lexical innovations are increasingly codified and accepted as standard— and not just in Kachru’s Outer-Circle countries, but also, as Lowenberg (2002) documents, in many Expanding-Circle nations as well, where English actually functions as a second language and often develops nativized norms.
