The Features of the Current Algerian Slang as Spoken in Tebessa: A Sociolinguistic Analysis of Second Year EFL Students at Larbi Tebessi University’s Speech at the Level of Phonology and Semantics

Abstract

This dissertation investigates the slang used by second year EFL students at Larbi Tebessi University; it aims at testing whether this variety is systematic or an instance of free variation through identifying the factors that shape it along with the semantic and phonological processes that govern it. Three assumptions underlay this study. First, the current slang is primarily affected by media and age. Second, the semantic processes applied in the creation of slang terms are simile, widening, and metaphor. Lastly, the phonological processes used to create slang terms include consonant deletion and cluster reduction. This study was conducted on 38 participants from the aforementioned population; they were given a questionnaire that targets a variety of factors, which are later correlated with the frequency of slang use, so as to test the first assumption. Besides, the same respondents were interviewed relying on Labov’s (1966) sociolinguistic interview; their productions were analyzed qualitatively and qualitatively as part of a correlational descriptive design in order to test the second and third assumptions. Various results were obtained following the statistical analysis of the findings. The main results indicate that the factors affecting the investigated variety are gender, affiliation to sports team groups, the use of Facebook, and playing video games, particularly Pubg. Furthermore, the semantic processes utilized in creating slang terms are simile, metaphor, narrowing and widening of meaning. Lastly, the phonological processes mostly used fall under four categories, which are assimilation, syllable structure, weakening and strengthening and substitution processes in addition to vowel substitution.