ODRAZ PANDÉMIE NOVÉHO KORONAVÍRUSU V JAZYKU

The article responds to current global circumstances, processes and changes related to ongoing pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus causing COVID-19, subsequently named SARS-CoV-2, and analyses their impact on the Slovak language. We focus our attention on two key terms SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19, and we describe them from the point of view of general characteristics of terms. We observe their application, adaptation and usage in the Slovak language in everyday communication. We also pay attention to other related terms, which appeared in a connection with COVID-19 pandemic. Relevant government measures, which have been introduced and applied in order to protect further spread of the virus, are another source of new terminology used on a daily basis. From March to May 2020 we collected a representative corpus of COVID-19 related language material in Slovak media discourses (television, radio, the Internet) and subsequently we continued observing how these words and terms have been preferably used in the language during the period of May – November 2020. Our conclusions revealed significant dynamic processes in this terminology during SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 pandemic.