Investigating The Impact Of Memes On Language And Identity: Case Study Of M1 Students Of Ibn Khaldoun University Of Tiaret

Abstract

In the digital era of social media, memes have progressed beyond temporary expressions of humor, functioning as a means of communication, cultural transmission, and self-expression. This research examines the role of memes on language and identity. Therefore, the researcher opted for the mixed method approach in which open-ended questionnaires were delivered to 100 M1 Linguistics’ students at Ibn Khaldoun University of Tiaret to understand their perceptions and attitudes towards meme culture, and a classroom observation was conducted to examine students’ real-time engagement and interaction with memes. The findings proved that memes can influence students’ language and cultural identity by influencing their linguistic expressions, reinforcing cultural references and enhancing social belonging within online communities. Therefore, further interdisciplinary research on memes is necessary to examine their role in language change and identity convergence. This process may promote an ethically responsible approach to meme culture across generations.