Student machine translation use in a transnational English-medium instruction university: Navigating development and expedience

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.