Pagan Motos, Juan Carlos

The influence in Podemos of Post-Marxism developed by Ernesto Laclau and Chantal Mouffe, for whom the discursive issue acquires foundational nature in the political field, explains the attempt to create a political subject of populist inspiration in Spain located in a new up-down axis of political dispute replacing the traditional left-right axis. The discourse deployed by Podemos' leaders for that purpose, as well as its evolution and symbolic implications, are analyzed in the present work from the theoretical approach of Algirdas J. Greimas' Narrative Semiotics, and the contributions of the Semiotics of Culture developed by Yuri M. Lotman. The works of Greimas and Lotman, although were not devised in the field of political science, are thus conceived as theoretical tools that can give an account of the success and limitations of Podemos in the unfolding of a populist narrative that was born with hegemonic vocation.

The societal evolution since the last decades of 20th century until recently has called for and brought a number of signifi cant political terms into popular usage. This article offers the overview of some relevant new terms, neologisms, in Spanish and the English language, as well as those terms that have acquired new meaning over the given period. The researched terms are subdivided into categories related to spheres of general government policy, environmental policy and family policy. The profound impact of new technologies in the confi guration of current societies through its terminology is also covered. The background political and social context is given for the full understanding of designated concepts. The paper is believed to be of interest not only for teachers/learners of the Spanish and English languages and linguists, but also for students and professionals in the fields of Politics, Public Administration, History and Communication.