Copyright Holder: This Article is Licensed Under:
© Maessy B. Grandez et al. (2023)
Corresponding author’s email: bonganciso.rt@pnu.edu.ph
Journal of English as a Foreign Language Teaching and Research, Vol. 3 No. 2 (2023) https://doi.org/10.31098/jefltr.v3i2.1847
Forda Ferson: The Morphological Structure of Generation Z Slang in
Social Media
Maessy B. Grandez
1*
, Maria Carmela P. Ablero
2
, Raidar M. Lasala
3
, Ma. Theresa G.
Gomez
4
, Ruel T. Bonganciso
5
1,2,3,4,5
Philippine Normal University Visayas, Philippines
Received: September 15, 2023 Revised: September 22, 2023 Accepted: September 25, 2023 Online: September 30, 2023
Abstract
Filipino Generation Z's creative ability to experiment with morphemes is a factor in the emergence of new
words. These lexical items possess the capacity to function as nouns, verbs, and adjectives within the Filipino
language. This study aims to examine how Filipino Generation Z slang terminologies are formed if such
terms undergo a particular process that adheres to a specific morphological structure and if new sets of
rules are observed that are not included in the current morphological rules. Since the researchers used
words to analyze the gathered data, a qualitative research design utilizing content analysis was employed
in this study. This study employed homogeneous sampling, with researchers extracting only Generation Z
slang from the Facebook posts of PNUV first- to fourth-year students as the corpus. The framework matrix
was used to determine the morphological processes underlying Generation Z slang. Consequently, it was
determined that word formation processes such as coinage, borrowing, compounding, blending, clipping,
acronyms, affixation, conversion, and multiple processes were utilized to create Generation Z slang. In
addition, the data revealed additional word formation processes, such as contraction, reduplication, and
spelling change. Most Filipino Generation Z slang word formation was categorized as a change in spelling.
Future researchers can gain a deeper understanding of how the Filipino generation z's language is shaped
and how it differs from previous generations by examining linguistic patterns and word forms.
Keywords: Generation Z; Morphological Structure; Slang; Word Formation Processes
INTRODUCTION
Language is drastically changing through generations (Devlin, 2018). The forda ferson is a
slang term or a creative abbreviation. Slang refers to recently created lexical items or phrases in
which "forda" represents an informal and non-standard contraction of the phrase "for the." Similar
to the term "forda," the term "ferson" represents a creative formation. The term in question
combines the concept of "person" with a linguistic modification, resulting in the creation of a
distinct lexical unit. The primary notion underlying this expression pertains to the correlation
between an individual's identity and their interests or preferences. This suggests that an
individual's identity can be characterized by their preferences or hobbies. An illustration of this
concept can be found in the phrase "forda coffee ang ferson," which effectively conveys an intricate
sense of identity by explicitly indicating that the individual identifies themselves as someone who
derives pleasure from consuming coffee. This exemplifies the capacity of language to communicate
aspects pertaining to individual identity and preferences. This expression serves as an illustration
of informal language usage and the manifestation of creativity. This linguistic phenomenon can be
classified as a form of verbal altering and colloquial expression that tends to be prevalent in
informal or subcultural settings. Informal language commonly undergoes evolution within
communities as a means to articulate collective ideas or experiences. Its evolution includes the
emergence of new words and the extinction of some. According to (Beni Akhy & Parama Iswari,
2021), Information Communication Technology (ICT) has become an integral part of people's lives
recently. There has been a significant advancement in information and communication technology
around the world - and this has been one of the driving forces of the evolution of language today.
Although many of our terms have been around long, new ones are always being added. As cited in
Research Paper