Machine Translation in Foreign Language Learning Classroom-Learners’ Indiscriminate Use or Instructors’ Discriminate Stance

Xiaomin Zhu

doi:10.5430/elr.v9n4p1

Abstract

The use of machine translation (MT) tools in language learning classroom is now omnipresent, which raises a dilemma for instructors because of two issues, language proficiency and academic integrity, caused by that fact. However, with the unstoppable development and irresistible use of MT in language learning, rather than entangling with using it or banning it, it is more significant to figure out why learners turn to MT in spite of the prohibition from their instructors and how can instructors guide learners to use it appropriately. Consequently, this paper reviews articles with regard to the reason why learners turn to MT, the practical use of MT in learners’ writing, and some pedagogical solutions for making peace with MT in language learning classroom respectively. Implications can be garnered like that a course for learners of how to use MT tools properly should be included in the curriculum design, and simultaneously, the holistic understanding of these overwhelmingly fast-developed technology tools for instructors should be a part of teachers’ self-development, since instructors without knowledge said technology tools can not fully motivate language learners and implement the pedagogical solutions offered.

Highlights

First proposed in 1949 in a memorandum from Warren Weaver, a British crystallographer, the idea of machine translation (MT), which was initially for the use of war-time cryptography techniques, statistical analysis, Shannon’s information theory, and the exploration of the underlying logic and universal features of language (Hutchins & Sommers, 1992), is widespread availability to professional translators to dispose some tedious and repetitive source texts like commercial and business transaction, legal documentation, industrial patents and so forth, and to students for their foreign language assignments
In order to expose learners to the pitfalls of MT, some pedagogical activities can be designed for students, such as, proposed by author, “translating a popular song from English into the target language and comparing students’ version with Google Translation (GT)’s” (p.789), which can make it clear evidence that translations are not “substituting words” and not rarely “verbatim reproduction of the original text” (p.789)
A course related to teaching students to use MT tools in a responsible way should be included in the curriculum design across the upper elementary, secondary, and postsecondary spectrum with a beginning questionnaire used to estimate students’ own knowledge of the available and novel technology tools for language learning in their first lesson, so that instructors can promote, rather than circumvent, students’ progress to more sophisticated language proficiency with the help of MT (Ducar & Schocket, 2018)

Summary

Introduction

First proposed in 1949 in a memorandum from Warren Weaver, a British crystallographer, the idea of machine translation (MT), which was initially for the use of war-time cryptography techniques, statistical analysis, Shannon’s information theory, and the exploration of the underlying logic and universal features of language (Hutchins & Sommers, 1992), is widespread availability to professional translators to dispose some tedious and repetitive source texts like commercial and business transaction, legal documentation, industrial patents and so forth, and to students for their foreign language assignments. Policies that turn MT into a taboo stand directly in opposition to the gist of aiding a student become “a 21st Century skilled learner” recommended by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Language (ACTFL) (ACTFL, 2011). Studies on why learners use MT programs and how they interact with them (White & Heidrich, 2013), what instructors can do to equip their students to use the MT in an educationally and interculturally respectful manner (Ducar & Schocket, 2018) and practical MT use in learners’ writing (García & Pena, 2011) seem to be more significant for us to confront the challenge of learners’ indiscriminate use of MT

Machine Translation

Machine Translation in Foreign Language Learning and Teaching

Implications

Findings

Conclusion