MORPHOLOGICAL DYNAMICS IN CROSS-CULTURAL NEWS: UNPACKING WORD FORMATION STRATEGIES IN BBC.COM

Ahmad Rosikhul Fahmi; Fathimah Azzahra Fatihatul  Aulya; Adzka  Tsaqifa; Nur Fitria  Anggrisia

doi:10.33365/linguistics_and_literature.v7i1.1296

Ahmad Rosikhul Fahmi UIN Maulana Malik Ibrahim Malang https://orcid.org/0009-0004-5048-3044
Fathimah Azzahra Fatihatul Aulya UIN Maulana Malik Ibrahim Malang
Adzka Tsaqifa UIN Maulana Malik Ibrahim Malang
Nur Fitria Anggrisia UIN Maulana Malik Ibrahim Malang

DOI: https://doi.org/10.33365/linguistics_and_literature.v7i1.1296

Keywords: Cultural morphology, Online journalism, Word formation

Abstract

Online journalism serves as a primary vehicle for linguistic evolution, often utilizing creative morphological strategies to engage readers and describe diverse realities. However, limited research explores how these processes function within cultural feature articles to bridge cross-cultural concepts. This study analyzes the word formation processes employed in the BBC.com article titled “The anti-materialist Christmas: Rituals around the world that swap gifts for meaning”. Adopting a descriptive qualitative approach, this research identifies, classifies, and interprets lexical items based on standard morphological theories. The findings reveal a strategic use of four distinct processes to achieve specific communicative goals. Derivation is predominantly used to construct the article’s ideological stance, while Compounding builds atmospheric imagery. Notably, Borrowing is extensively utilized to maintain cultural authenticity by retaining original terms like Jólabókaflóð and Hygge, whereas Clipping is employed to shift the narrative register. The study concludes that word formation in online news is not merely structural but acts as a vital stylistic device to convey cultural nuances effectively.

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