Collana | Studi e ricerche
Miscellanea | Traduction humaine et traitement automatique des langues
Capitolo | “I Looked It Up in DeepL”: Machine Translation and Digital Tools in the Language Classroom

“I Looked It Up in DeepL”: Machine Translation and Digital Tools in the Language Classroom

Abstract

This article looks at a widespread yet erroneous use of machine translation (MT): looking up single words, thus treating MT systems as online bilingual dictionaries (ODs). After a literature review of this trend in research about MT, we consider data from a large survey that we carried out in 2021 at all Swiss universities on MT use and users’ attitudes. When analysing users’ metalinguistic awareness, we discovered that non-translators perceive the text to translate, mostly at word level, leading to the misuse of MT systems as ODs. Moreover, the survey results revealed confusion between the different digital tools for language learning, namely MT, online parallel corpora like Linguee and ODs. We therefore suggest broadening the scope of MT literacy to include training learners in general digital literacy to enable them to use such tools appropriately.


Open access

Presentato: 14 Luglio 2023 | Pubblicato 07 Dicembre 2023 | Lingua: it

Keywords Language learning and teachingToolsOnline dictionariesOnline corporaMachine translation


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