Jul 2026· LEARN Journal : Language Education and Acquisition Research Network· Vol 19, pp. 999· 0 citations· 6 references
Abstract
Culture-loaded words are common and often pose challenges for translators seeking equivalent terms. Observations in an undergraduate translation class indicated that Taiwanese EFL learners frequently employed lexical avoidance (Schachter, 1974) as a strategy. However, a deeper investigation is necessary to gain a fuller understanding of this behavior. Therefore, the objectives of this study are threefold: 1) to analyze the types and frequencies of lexical avoidance used by students, using Blum & Levenston's (1977) model as a framework, 2) to identify any new categories of lexical avoidance that may emerge, and 3) to offer suggestions for enhancing translation training in the undergraduate EFL context. The study involved 28 sophomore EFL students at a public university in northern Taiwan. Data were gathered from a translation assignment called “translation diagnosis”, which included 28 copies of written translation for analysis. The results showed that when translating Chinese culture-loaded terms—specifically those related to body expressions and other non-social or non-body-related concepts—over half of the students (67.8%) resorted to using synonyms or paraphrasing. A smaller proportion, ranging from 3.6% to 10.7% depending on the term, used total avoidance (i.e., leaving the term untranslated), a new category of avoidance strategy that was not previously recognized in the adopted model. Based on these findings, recommendations for improving translation training were offered.
This study aims to (1) identify and describe the characteristics of lexical choices in EFL students’ Indonesian–English translations and (2) investigate the factors influencing students’ lexical choices during the translation process. A qualitative descriptive approach was employed, involving 20 fourth-semester EFL students at Universitas Negeri Gorontalo enrolled in a Translation and Interpreting course. Data were collected through handwritten translations of an argumentative text and semi-structured retrospective interviews with five selected participants. The translation products were analyzed using Baker’s (1992) framework of meaning, comprising propositional, expressive, presupposed, and evoked meaning, while interview data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. The findings showed that students generally preserved propositional meaning but experienced greater difficulties with expressive, presupposed, and evoked meanings, particularly in conveying evaluative nuances, producing natural collocations, and maintaining appropriate register. Five interconnected factors influenced students’ lexical choices: limited vocabulary mastery, reliance on dictionaries and machine translation, cognitive factors, limited contextual understanding, and register and source language influence. All five interviewed students reported using Google Translate or DeepL, while four out of five did not consider alternative lexical choices. These findings highlight the need for translation instruction that develops collocational awareness, contextual understanding, register awareness, and critical evaluation of machine translation output.
Siti Rahmatiya Buyu, Novriyanto Napu, Sri Widyarti Ali· Research Review: Jurnal Ilmi...· 0 citations
This study investigates university-level EFL students’ perceptions of using Google Translate to facilitate comprehension of advanced English texts. It explores how final-year students conceptualize the tool’s cognitive role in reading, the frequency and academic contexts of its use, and the pedagogical benefits and linguistic challenges associated with machine-assisted text interpretation. Employing a descriptive qualitative design, data were collected through an open-ended questionnaire distributed via Google Forms to 32 seventh-semester undergraduate EFL students. The responses were systematically analyzed using the qualitative analysis framework of Miles, Huberman, and Saldaña. The findings indicate that students perceive Google Translate as a supportive tool that reduces reading anxiety and accelerates lexical recognition. However, the study also reveals a cognitive paradox in which the convenience of the tool may foster psychological dependency. In addition, literal word-for-word translations and limited contextual sensitivity often lead to semantic confusion when students engage with complex academic texts. The study offers practical implications for EFL pedagogy, curriculum design, and digital literacy by emphasizing the importance of balancing machine-assisted translation with autonomous, critical, and independent reading practices.
Imada Ulinnuha, S. Aisyah, Lailatul Musyarofah· Esteem Journal of English Ed...· 0 citations
This study investigates Turkish EFL (English as a Foreign Language) learners’ perceptions, attitudes, and usage patterns regarding ChatGPT and online dictionaries for the acquisition of English collocations. Utilizing a quantitative research design, data were collected via an online questionnaire from 27 university-level participants, including preparatory and master’s students. The findings reveal that while online dictionaries remain the primary and most trusted resource for checking grammatical patterns and seeking reliable definitions (M=3.81), ChatGPT is increasingly perceived as a valuable "language assistant" for production-based tasks. Specifically, participants rated online dictionaries higher for reliability and ease of use. However, ChatGPT was perceived as more effective for improving writing (M=4.11) and speaking (M=4.04) skills due to its ability to provide personalized feedback and generate contextualized examples. Despite the benefits of AI (Artificial Intelligence), learners demonstrated a cautious approach, often using ChatGPT as a "gap-filler" rather than a primary source. The study concludes that the integration of AI tools does not replace traditional resources but rather offers a complementary framework where dictionaries serve verification purposes and AI facilitates linguistic exploration. Pedagogical implications suggest that educators should provide explicit training on leveraging both tools to foster autonomous and context-aware collocation learning.
Berra Artul· Journal of Language, Literat...· 0 citations
In the current research, the focus is placed on exploring some of the most common translation problems encountered by undergraduate translation students dealing with translating Arabic culture-bound terms (henceforth referred to as CBTs) into English. The mentioned terms represent serious obstacles for translating processes, as they imply rather complicated cultural connotations and cannot be regarded as equivalents in other languages. Based on existing translation theories by such scholars as Peter Newmark and Mona Baker, this study aims at defining the nature of the mentioned problems and ways they can be solved by undergraduates. This study is exploratory in nature and it serves as a pilot for a larger-scale investigation. Thus, the chosen methodology was with the same nature, and it included a sample of 30 undergraduate translation students who had to translate 10 Arabic statements containing culture-bound terms into English. The data collected from the students were analyzed with the help of the thematic analysis framework suggested by Newmark (1988). In particular, he proposed to define categories that include various cultural objects in accordance with the classification of Peter Newmark. Then the chosen expressions were assigned to appropriate categories, while their translation difficulties were identified with respect to the mentioned three aspects: semantic accuracy, syntax appropriateness, and cultural adequacy. According to the findings in this sample, there is a great challenge faced by students to retain the cultural meaning in the translation of culture-bound expression. They translate them using literal translation or partial equivalence, thus losing meaning and cultural essence. Moreover, the findings show that the students prefer foreignization to domestication by 67% versus 33%. This is mainly because of their lack of understanding of the target culture.
Sofiene Tergui, Abdul Mutalib Bin Embong, Che Wan Ida Rahimah· Ijaz Arabi Journal of Arabic...· 0 citations
This study investigates the lexical challenges and translation strategies employed by Yemeni undergraduate students when rendering specialized English football terminology into Arabic, focusing on non-equivalence and the effectiveness of Mona Baker’s (2018) compensatory strategies. A purposive sample of 30 senior students from Taiz University, Ibb University, and the University of Science and Technology (UST) participated in the research. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, the study employed a translation test consisting of 20 isolated terms and 6 contextualized terms to evaluate the impact of textual clues on accuracy. Findings reveal significant conceptual barriers, especially regarding metaphorical and idiomatic expressions; while technical terms like “Stadium” saw high success, performance declined sharply for metaphors such as “Park the bus.” Statistical analysis shows an overall success rate of 65.2%. Furthermore, the results refute the hypothesis of male superiority, as female students consistently outperformed males by applying systematic academic strategies like paraphrasing. Institutionally, Taiz University students demonstrated greater flexibility in functional strategies, whereas UST students favored technical borrowing. The study concludes that translational competence in specialized fields is an acquired academic skill rather than a gender-based interest. Consequently, the study recommends integrating English for Specific Purposes (ESP) modules into translation curricula to better prepare students for the technical demands of sports media.
Ahmed Taher Abdu Nagi, Abdulrahman Ahmed Mohammed No’man, Aaya Ali Abduallah Mohammed Saif Al-jabry et al.· Journal of Translation and L...· 0 citations
Translation plays an important role in helping EFL students comprehend English texts; however, many junior high school students still experience difficulties in translating narrative texts accurately due to linguistic and contextual challenges. This study aimed to identify the translation strategies used by eighth-grade students in translating English narrative texts into Indonesian and to explore the challenges they encountered and the references they used during the translation process. This study employed a descriptive qualitative research design involving 52 eighth-grade students of MTs Al-Hidayah, Bitung Jaya. Data were collected through observation, translation tasks, and semi-structured interviews and analyzed using Miles and Huberman’s Interactive Model, consisting of data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing. The findings revealed that students employed four translation strategies: literal translation, idiomatic translation, addition, and omission. Literal translation and addition were the most frequently used strategies (26 occurrences each), followed by idiomatic translation (25) and omission (10). Students also encountered challenges related to limited vocabulary, grammatical confusion, and sentence construction, while relying on dictionaries, Google Translate, AI-based applications, teachers, and peers to support their translation process. These findings contribute to translation education at the junior high school level by providing insights into students’ translation practices and may assist English teachers in designing more effective instructional strategies to improve students’ translation competence, vocabulary mastery, and grammatical awareness.
Putri Maulina, Siffa Annisa Fitri Ramadhani, Muh. Khaedir Lutfi· Teaching English as a Foreig...· 0 citations