Student machine translation use in a transnational English-medium instruction university

Research on machine translation in language courses has proliferated over the last decade, yet few studies have considered use in English medium-instruction programs that aim to simultaneously develop student language ability and knowledge of content. This study therefore investigates student use and beliefs about machine translation at a transnational Chinese university. Interviews with twenty-one undergraduate students and fourteen instructors found that student use of machine translation is widespread, though variable. Students report using machine translation to increase reading comprehension, vocabulary, and speed; translate first language writing to raise target language writing quality and complexity; and decrease the amount of copied (though cited) content. Instructors report student use of simultaneous speech translation in class, mistranslations in student writing indicating a lack of engagement with English language texts, and cross-language plagiarism. Both students and instructors view machine translation as a tool: a potentially beneficial one that, if used uncritically and constantly, can stunt language development. Students are thus faced with a choice between developing their English and the expediency of quickly reading and writing in Chinese, a choice heavily affected by student workload, performance pressures, and, arguably, lack of machine translation literacy.

过去十年中，关于语言课程中机器翻译的研究大量涌现，然而，较少研究考虑到机器翻译在全英授课项目中的使用。全英文授课的项目旨在同时提高学生的语言能力和内容知识。因此，本研究调查了一所中国的中外合办大学里生对机器翻译的使用和看法。通过对21名本科生和14名教师的访谈，本研究发现学生对机器翻译的使用具有普遍性和多样性。学生报告显示，他们使用机器翻译来达成以下几种目的：提高阅读理解能力、扩展词汇量和加快阅读速度；将母语写作翻译成目标语言以提高写作质量和复杂性；减少复制（引用）文本的数量。教师报告显示，有学生在课堂上使用同步语音翻译，且学生写作中的误译表明他们没有与英语文本进行互动。同时，学生中存在跨语言抄袭的现象。学生和教师都认为机器翻译是一种工具，这种工具可能有益处，但若不加辨别地频繁使用，也可能会阻碍语言发展。学生面临的是在提高自身英语能力与直接使用母语来快速阅读和写作这个便利性之间做出选择，这个选择受到学生工作量、成绩压力，以及可以说是缺乏机器翻译素养的影响。