An Analysis on Word Formation Processes among Young Adults in Sri Lanka

The history of the English language identified two core varieties: British English and American English. However, World Englishes have gained prestige over the decades. English, therefore, has become the lingua franca in the world. As a result, Sri Lankan English has fascinatingly become a specific variety. The people of a particular region or a country adapt English in specific ways, which are visible in their regular activities such as at college, at supermarkets and at workplaces. Novel words can be found among several groups of people, which support the function of proper communication. Moreover, social media platforms spread varied English morphemes. The younger generation of Sri Lanka plays an innovative role in the process of word formation. Therefore, this research focuses on specific word formation processes in the Sri Lankan context among young adults. The objectives of this research are to recognize innovative word formation processes in English in the Sri Lankan context and to analyse the use of these processes which are commonly used among young adults in Sri Lanka. The data relevant to word formation processes were gathered by observing young adults’ speech on social media platforms and daily speech practices of the participants. The data collected were analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively. Furthermore, data was gathered via a questionnaire distributed among the participants. Eleven different word formation processes which were identified are analyzed in this research and they are also categorized under the most-used formation processes and generally-used processes. The findings indicate that novel word formations in English are explicitly visible among young adults in the Sri Lankan context. It was also found that most of these formations occur unintentionally. This study is thus useful in identifying the key word formation processes prevalent in present Sri Lankan society and in understanding the future direction of Sri Lankan English. Keywords: Sri Lankan English; Word formation processes; Common speech; Social media platforms