ge and Generation-Specific Use of Language: The Case of Youngsters in Oulhaca Speech Community- Ain Temouchent

Abstract

The present research work is an attempt to analyse the sociolinguistic situation of an Algerian town Ain Temouchent. The main focus was on Oulhaca El-ghreba that is situated 51 km West of Ain Temouchent. The main purpose of this research work is to describe and shed light on the linguistic features characterizing the speech community of Oulhaca, mainly the lexical side in relation to the age variable. It highlights the effect of age on youth language in addition to factors that helped in reshaping their language namely social media. The current study has also been carried out using quantitative and qualitative approaches and with reliance on the two main tools for gathering data, namely the questionnaire handed for sixty- five (65) Oulhacian youngsters and the structured interview directed to nine (09) informants, with the purpose of evaluating the two research hypotheses. Three chapters form the basis of the present investigation and the focus of the first chapter is concerned with defining concepts related to language variation and age, while the second one covers the research's methodology and the tools that were employed. The third deals with the evaluation, interpretation, and discussion of the key results which showed the majority of respondents fully confirmed the investigation's proposed hypotheses, stating that nearly all of Oulhacian youth today agree that their dialect differs significantly from that of the elder generation. The modern Oulhacian speech community frequently experiences dialect shifts for a variety of reasons, for that social media is a crucial element in how young people's language is changing, which results in the growth of new vocabulary and linguistic contact.