The Frequency of the English Language Used in Social Media by Undergraduate English Majors in Jordan

Abstract

The study aims at investigating the frequency and willingness of undergraduate English majors to use English language in social media and informal context. It also aims at discovering frequently used expressions and exploring their functions. The study utilized a questionnaire developed by the researchers based on samples of students’ chats and posts collected from Facebook groups. The questionnaire was distributed to a sample of 100 students majoring English in Al-Hussein bin Talal University to elicit aspects of their views on the use of some common types of English expressions transliterated into Arabic on social media platforms. The results of the study show that transliterated English expressions were widely and commonly used in students’ posts and comments to express different functions, often replacing Arabic alternatives, as English expressions were found to be more expressive. The study concluded with some implications highlighting the role of social media in improving and developing English competence and skills in this technological era.