Assessing First Language Attrition among Generation Z in the Algerian Community Case Study: 3rd year BA Students at the Department of English, Ibn Khaldoun, University of Tiaret.

Abstract

The study investigates the impact of internet access and social media on native language attrition among Generation Z, known as digital natives. Third-year students at Ibn Khaldun University, Tiaret, experienced negative effects on their mother tongue accuracy and fluency, as they are polyglots, as they learn English alongside other languages. The findings showed a strong correlation between attrition and internet exposure, highlighting the threat foreign languages pose to their native languages and the importance of preserving Arab and Islamic identity.