Exploring the Use of English on Social Media and the Perception of EFL Teachers in Tebessa: A Conscious Step towards Nativization or an Unconscious Stage of Language Transfer

Abstract

This dissertation investigates how English is used by Algerian youth, focusing on whether this use reflects a conscious process of nativization or an unconscious stage of language transfer through the glance of TikTok. It also examines how EFL teachers in Tebessa perceive these emerging linguistic forms and whether they view them as traces of interference or legitimate adaptations, thereby addressing both linguistic behavior and pedagogical perspectives. Rooted in a sociolinguistic and pedagogical framework, the study draws on mixed-method research, combining content analysis of TikTok videos with questionnaire responses from EFL teachers. Content analysis focuses on English utterances by Tebessian youth, and it identified influence from Algerian Arabic primarily at the phonological, lexical, morphological, and syntactic levels, with phonological transfer being the most salient. Notably, instances of French-to-English transfer also emerged, highlighting Algeria's unique multilingual context. However, deliberate nativization is less common, supporting the view that nativization is a slow, context-dependent process shaped by sustained use and cultural integration. Questionnaire results reveal that teachers’ perceptions are mixed; some viewed these language practices as interference, while others recognized them as evolving expressions of identity. The Findings suggest that language transfer dominates over nativization in the analyzed content, yet they do not exclude the gradual development of localized English in Algeria. These findings underscore the need to reconsider rigid pedagogical norms and engage more critically with the realities of English use in digitally mediated, multilingual contexts.