Some features of modeling the lexico-semantic field «COVID-19»

Аннотация

The article presents the lexical units that appeared in the English vocabulary
during the fi rst wave of coronavirus in the form of a lexico-semantic fi eld (LSF). LSF has a
specifi c fi eld structure: the core, nuclear zone, near and far periphery. The construction of the
LSF allows us to expand our understanding of the content of the modern COVID-19 lexeme in
the English language consciousness. The study was conducted on the material of the American
newspaper «The New York Times». The research material obtained by selecting lexical units was
classifi ed into fi ve main thematic groups: Medicine during a pandemic; Public behavior during a
pandemic; Education during a pandemic; World tourism during a pandemic and Sales during a
pandemic. Such division helped in modelling the core, nuclear zone, near and far periphery of the
LSF. The study of “COVID” vocabulary has broad prospects, since the epidemiological situation
in the world is changing dramatically with the advent of COVID-19 and, therefore, the language
creates neologisms to denote new realities and new experiences in the era of the pandemic.
Keywords: newspaper discourse, lexico-semantic fi eld, COVID vocabulary, COVID-19.