Morpheme creativity in Gen Z and Gen Alpha English

Diminutives

English is a remarkably flexible language, particularly when it comes to the creation of new affixes, especially those with a diminutive function. Historically, this has often involved the addition of a long /i:/ sound to make names sound more affectionate (e.g., Johnny, Debbie) or to truncate a word for ease of use (lab, morph, biz, deli) The ubiquitous use of acronyms in business English provide further evidence of this trend.

Reduplication

In many languages reduplication—the repetition of a syllable—features prominently in the formation of affectionate names. Brazilian Portuguese, for instance, has Gugu, Fafa, and Zuzu (for Gustavo, Fátima and Zuleidy respectively). In other languages, however, reduplication serves as a standard marker of grammatical features.

In Ancient Greek, for example, reduplication frequently marks the perfective aspect and appears in some non-perfective verbs like didomai (give)and tithemi (place), where the initial reduplication hints at a perfective origin. Similarly, the English word memory (from the Latin verb  memini) reflects reduplication and a perfective or iterative sense. Memory means ‘having in mind’ or ‘bringing to mind again’.

Reduplication has tended to be underutilized in English. This, however, may be about to change.

Delulu

A recent linguistic innovation among Gen Alpha and younger Gen Z speakers, delulu is an affectionate, gently teasing diminutive of delusional or delusion. The term combines truncation with reduplication, creating a playful form that mimics the giddiness of delusion and bears echoes of similar slang terms such as loopy or loony.

Initially popularized within K-pop fan communities to sanction fanciful imaginings regarding relationships band members, delulu has subsequently begun to evolve and spawn other coinages. Phrases such as “Delulu is the Solulu” and “May all your Delulu come Trulu”—which have recently attained viral status online—convey the idea that sheer perseverance has the power to transform delusion into reality.

Lalangue

This reflects of course the way in which the Internet blurs the line between fantasy and reality. It would be wise however to remember that, by using and thereby changing language in the course of our everyday lives, we are involved a constant process of turning the illusion of signification into a reality of shared understanding.

This resonates with what the French psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan meant when—in a play on reduplication and the use of the French definite article—he coined the term lalangue, to refer both to the babbling (lallation) of infants and to the delight that language use produces irrespective of meaning.

For those of us who are beings that use language, long may the delulu endure!         

Image by Rodrigo Joaquin Mba Mikue from Pixabay