Abstract: Despite the uncontroversial link between neologisms and the social context of coinage and usage, studies of neologisms often isolate them from this context. Firstly, this paper foregrounds the social nature of neologisms. To do so, the notion of institutionalisation and conventionalisation will be discussed and models will be presented. The second purpose is to show to what extent this social aspect was addressed by presenting social factors of institutionalisation and conventionalisation.
