English Language Students’ Familiarity on English Slang Words

This study examines the extent of English slang knowledge among students enrolled in English language programs and their perceptions of using films as a tool for enhancing their understanding of slang. A total of 98 participants were surveyed, comprising 58 students from the Bachelor of Arts in English Language Studies (AB-ELS) program and 40 from the Bachelor of Science in Education Major in English (BSE-English) program. The results indicate that students from the AB-ELS program achieved a familiarity rate of 93% with English academic slang, while those from the BSE-English program reached a perfect score of 100%. This outcome suggests a strong overall understanding of common academic slang among participants, though familiarity with specific slang terms ranged from moderate to low, depending on the vocabulary presented. The study also highlights the positive role of films in facilitating slang acquisition. Most participants agreed that regular exposure to movies has significantly contributed to their understanding and retention of slang vocabulary. This result underscores the importance of contextual and visual media in language learning. Furthermore, the analysis reveals a strong correlation between the respondents’ demographic profiles and their knowledge of English slang. However, no significant relationship was found between their demographic characteristics and their views on using films to improve slang knowledge.