Las siglas como procedimento lexicogenésico

Abstract

The aim of this article is to underline the role acronyms play as a modern and productive word-formation method in contemporary Spanish. Two major aspects are broadly analysed. First, the process of siglación or acronymy, by which initials may become acronyms and be fully lexicalized. In this respect, the study proposes for Spanish such terms as abreviatura, literación and acrónimo to define the morpho-phonological, graphemic and semantic stages of this process which are taken as a reflection of the gradual lexicalization of the acronymic lexeme. Second, particular mention is made of two word-making devices -compounding (and blending) and derivation— which are the best proof of the vitality and the degree of penetration of this linguistic phenomenon.