Lexical innovations in the speech of adolescents in Oslo, Norway: How far can multilingual environments impact on language practices?

Based on a series of examples from the UPUS-Project (Linguistic Development in Urban Environments), this paper provides an overview of the main innovative lexical forms, e.g. neologisms, use of slang, loan words especially from non-European languages, in the speech of adolescents living in Oslo, Norway and determines in which communicative settings they have appeared. Recent studies (cf. Drange 2002; Johannessen 2008) have identified two linguistic 'varieties', one of which is located in the Eastern parts of the city and is affected by multilingual environments. I argue that the multilingual dimension is both decisive for predicting the forms innovation takes and for justifying the motivations of speakers to innovate in their speech.