Intergenerational lexical change

Abstract

This study investigates intergenerational lexical change and its direction in the dialect of Constantine, Algeria. It also seeks to find out about the different lexical origins. A study of the speech of a sample of the old generation is first conducted using triangulation: the participants’ observation, documents analysis and key informants. This allows collecting the database for an etymological analysis and a comparative study. Two questionnaires are administered to a sample of the young generation. It is hypothesised that, first, the majority of lexis of the old generation would be of an Arabic origin and that the young generation would have difficulties recognising and using the old terms and would use synonyms instead. It is also hypothesised that lexical change across the two generations would be the result of mainly the alteration in the origins of the borrowed words. The results obtained show that the majority of the words used by the old generation have an Arabic origin, which confirms the first hypothesis. The results of the questionnaires reveal that the young generation is not able to identify most of the words used by the old generation. For those which are identified, not all of them are used. Moreover, their use is restricted to the family setting. The results of both the descriptive and the comparative studies validate the hypotheses. The dominant origin or Constantine dialect lexis is Arabic and intergenerational change affecting it is essentially due to change in the origin of the loan words used by its speakers.