The Effectiveness of Using The Effectiveness of Using Bilingual Portable Bilingual Portable

ElectronicElectronic Dictionaries (Dictionaries (BPEDsBPEDs) in ) in

Translation ClassesTranslation Classes

Dr.Aisha Al-HussainDr.Aisha Al-HussainPrincess Nora Bint Abdurrahman University

Riyadh. K.S.Adr.aisha-alhussain@hotmail.com

Today, millions of people worldwide Today, millions of people worldwide believe that computers can play a believe that computers can play a crucial role in providing crucial role in providing EFLEFL students with valuable language students with valuable language experience as they learn a second experience as they learn a second or foreign language. They find it or foreign language. They find it essential for developing all essential for developing all language skills in general and language skills in general and translation in particulartranslation in particular . .

 

This study aimed at proving This study aimed at proving empirically the effectiveness of empirically the effectiveness of using bilingual using bilingual PEDs PEDs in translation in translation classrooms. This was carried out classrooms. This was carried out through comparing the translation of through comparing the translation of students once with bilingual students once with bilingual PEDs PEDs and once without and once without PEDs. PEDs. It also aimed It also aimed at measuring the rate of at measuring the rate of effectiveness with different text effectiveness with different text difficulty levels. Translation from difficulty levels. Translation from English to Arabic was the focus of English to Arabic was the focus of the present studythe present study . .

1-Participants1-Participants Participants of the present study Participants of the present study

consisted of consisted of 5050 students majoring students majoring in English language and literature in English language and literature at the College of Arts, Princess at the College of Arts, Princess Nora University, Riyadh, Kingdom Nora University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia at level seven of Saudi Arabia at level seven ((fourth year, first semesterfourth year, first semester).They ).They were advanced students. They were advanced students. They were were 7070 students but twenty of students but twenty of them were not included in the them were not included in the study because they did not own study because they did not own PEDsPEDs..

22 . .MaterialsMaterials Two English short stories of different Two English short stories of different

difficulty levels were used: Regret by difficulty levels were used: Regret by Kate Chopin and War by Lugi Pirandell Kate Chopin and War by Lugi Pirandell

The level of difficulty was assessed The level of difficulty was assessed according to lexicographic, linguistic according to lexicographic, linguistic and structural criteria. According to and structural criteria. According to

these criteria the short story these criteria the short story ((REGRETREGRET) was classified as difficult ) was classified as difficult

whilewhilethe the other oneother one ((WARWAR) was ) was considered as easyconsidered as easy..

Two other translation teachers Two other translation teachers helped in assessing the level of helped in assessing the level of

difficulty. In order to judge difficulty. In order to judge suitability of time to the task suitability of time to the task

required a word and line account required a word and line account was run on the two stories. The was run on the two stories. The

story of easy level had 1593 story of easy level had 1593 words and 128 lines whereas the words and 128 lines whereas the

one of difficult level had one of difficult level had 14871487 word and word and 112112 lines lines..

  

3. Procedure3. Procedure Participants were given the short easy Participants were given the short easy

story (story (WarWar) and asked to translate it ) and asked to translate it from English into Arabic without using from English into Arabic without using PEDsPEDs. Papers were collected then they . Papers were collected then they were given the same easy story again to were given the same easy story again to translate but they were allowed to use translate but they were allowed to use their their PEDsPEDs. After two weeks, the same . After two weeks, the same students were given the other short students were given the other short story (story (RegretRegret) which was more difficult ) which was more difficult than the first one. They were asked to than the first one. They were asked to translate it without using translate it without using PEDsPEDs. After . After collecting the papers, they were asked to collecting the papers, they were asked to translate the same story again with translate the same story again with using using PEDsPEDs. .

Results and DiscussionResults and Discussion Analysis of the easy level data showed that the Analysis of the easy level data showed that the

students received higher scores when they used students received higher scores when they used PEDsPEDs in translating the short story than when they in translating the short story than when they translated it without translated it without PEDsPEDs. See chart (. See chart (11) below) below::

Chart (Chart (11) shows that the students gained ) shows that the students gained 75% 75% of the of the full mark when they used full mark when they used PEDs PEDs in translation while in translation while they gained they gained 47%47% of the full mark when they did not of the full mark when they did not use them in translating the easy short storyuse them in translating the easy short story..

Chart (Chart (22) indicates that the students who ) indicates that the students who used used PEDsPEDs performed better when performed better when translating a difficult short story than translating a difficult short story than when they translated it without using when they translated it without using PEDsPEDs. See chart (. See chart (22) below) below::

Chart (Chart (22) shows that the students who used ) shows that the students who used PEDsPEDs in in translation gained translation gained 6565%% of the full mark while they gained of the full mark while they gained 15% 15% of the full mark when they translated a difficult short of the full mark when they translated a difficult short story without using story without using PEDsPEDs..

The above results obtained might be The above results obtained might be attributed to the ignoring strategy (attributed to the ignoring strategy (Fraser, Fraser, 19991999; Kobayashi, ; Kobayashi, 20062006) adopted by ) adopted by students when dealing with unknown students when dealing with unknown words. Many studies showed that students words. Many studies showed that students consult more and ignore less when they consult more and ignore less when they deal with unknown words.(deal with unknown words.(Fraser,Fraser,19991999)In )In the present study, students ignored the present study, students ignored unknown words by using dots or dashes unknown words by using dots or dashes because they did not have access to because they did not have access to PEDs PEDs which affected their overall achievement which affected their overall achievement

in translating the given short storiesin translating the given short stories. .

In other words, students had to In other words, students had to choose from three lexical choose from three lexical processing strategies: consulting, processing strategies: consulting, inferring or ignoring. Since the inferring or ignoring. Since the consulting option is not available, consulting option is not available, the students who did not use the students who did not use PEDsPEDs had to infer had to infer // guess the meaning guess the meaning of the difficult words but most of of the difficult words but most of them were not very successful at them were not very successful at inferring word meaning from inferring word meaning from context. The only strategy left for context. The only strategy left for the students was the students was ignoring the ignoring the unknown wordsunknown words . .

A second possible justification for the A second possible justification for the results obtained is that students are results obtained is that students are more successful at determining word more successful at determining word meanings when they consult a meanings when they consult a dictionary because they get full dictionary because they get full comprehension of word meaningcomprehension of word meaning . .

A third reason for the better A third reason for the better performance of students when they performance of students when they used used PEDsPEDs is that they might made use is that they might made use of the advantages of of the advantages of PEDs PEDs such as such as speed, ease of use and size (speed, ease of use and size (Midlane, Midlane, 20052005; Stirling, ; Stirling, 20032003; AlJarf, ; AlJarf, 19991999 & & 20012001))..

PEDs provided the students with PEDs provided the students with instant access to datainstant access to data.. Less Less time was spent on looking up time was spent on looking up the unknown words and more the unknown words and more time was given to revising time was given to revising and editing. In this case, and editing. In this case, PEDsPEDs helped the students who had helped the students who had limited vocabulary knowledge limited vocabulary knowledge to catch up with those whose to catch up with those whose vocabulary knowledge vocabulary knowledge was was ..widerwider

A fourth reason stems from the fact A fourth reason stems from the fact that limited vocabulary knowledge that limited vocabulary knowledge is a major problem for is a major problem for EFL EFL learners learners especially in translation. especially in translation. Dictionaries are important sources Dictionaries are important sources of vocabulary, therefore it is widely of vocabulary, therefore it is widely claimed that the use of claimed that the use of PEDPEDs has a s has a positive effect on vocabulary positive effect on vocabulary acquisition (acquisition (Laufer and Hill, Laufer and Hill, 20002000) .Many studies proved that ) .Many studies proved that consulting a dictionary is one of the consulting a dictionary is one of the useful vocabulary learning useful vocabulary learning strategies used by strategies used by EFLEFL students students ((Fan, 2003; Knight, Fan, 2003; Knight, 19941994))..

  

The second step was to calculate the The second step was to calculate the students' marks on students' marks on easy andeasy and difficult difficult levels once with levels once with PEDsPEDs and once without and once without PEDsPEDs to find out any differences. to find out any differences. Students’ marks on Students’ marks on easy andeasy and difficult difficult levels with PEDs were calculated to levels with PEDs were calculated to depict any differences. See chart (depict any differences. See chart (33) ) belowbelow::

Chart (Chart (33) indicates that the students who ) indicates that the students who used PEDs when translating an easy text used PEDs when translating an easy text got got 75%75% as compared to as compared to 65%65% when they when they translated a difficult texttranslated a difficult text . .

The marks of the students when they did The marks of the students when they did not use not use PEDsPEDs to translate easy and difficult to translate easy and difficult texts were also calculated. See chart (texts were also calculated. See chart (44) ) belowbelow:

The above chart shows that the The above chart shows that the students who translated an easy text students who translated an easy text got got 47% 47% while they got while they got 15% 15% when when translating a difficult texttranslating a difficult text

Students were familiar with most of Students were familiar with most of the words of the easy short story the words of the easy short story therefore they got high scores while therefore they got high scores while they got less percentage when they they got less percentage when they dealt with the difficult story because dealt with the difficult story because most of the words were unknown to most of the words were unknown to them. This result is supported by them. This result is supported by other studies which indicated that other studies which indicated that learners look up words less if they learners look up words less if they are easily inferred from context. are easily inferred from context. ((Hulstijn, Hulstijn, 19931993))

The last step in data analysis was to The last step in data analysis was to investigate which way (investigate which way (with or without with or without PEDsPEDs) would fare well in translation when ) would fare well in translation when categorized according to levels of categorized according to levels of difficulty. The percentage of improvement difficulty. The percentage of improvement within the easy level was summed and it within the easy level was summed and it was was 28%.28%.The same procedure was The same procedure was repeated within the difficult level and it repeated within the difficult level and it was was 49%. 49%. See chart (See chart (55) below) below::

By comparing the two results, By comparing the two results, we can depict the we can depict the relationship between the relationship between the strategy of translation and strategy of translation and levels of difficulty. This might levels of difficulty. This might indicate that use of indicate that use of PEDsPEDs in in translation classes would be translation classes would be more effective when the text more effective when the text that is being translated is that is being translated is difficult than when it is less difficult than when it is less difficultdifficult..

Portable Electronic Dictionaries (Portable Electronic Dictionaries (PEDsPEDs) ) were empirically found to be effective were empirically found to be effective in translation classes, especially when in translation classes, especially when students translated difficult textsstudents translated difficult texts..

The results of this study might The results of this study might encourage translation instructors in encourage translation instructors in general and translation teachers at the general and translation teachers at the college of Arts in particular to have a college of Arts in particular to have a positive view towards the use of positive view towards the use of PEDs PEDs in translation classes. Teachers who in translation classes. Teachers who have negative attitudes towards have negative attitudes towards PEDsPEDs in translation classes should rethink in translation classes should rethink their attitude because the pedagogical their attitude because the pedagogical advantages of advantages of PEDsPEDs are too numerous are too numerous

to be neglectedto be neglected .

All the disadvantages which led All the disadvantages which led translation teachers to disallow the translation teachers to disallow the use of use of PEDsPEDs in their classes seem in their classes seem to to be related to be related to the type of the the type of the electronic dictionary used rather electronic dictionary used rather than the strategy itself. It is than the strategy itself. It is recommended that students should recommended that students should be trained how to consult and use be trained how to consult and use PEDsPEDs effectively in order to effectively in order to complete the translation process complete the translation process successfully and avoid inaccurate successfully and avoid inaccurate translation. Students should take translation. Students should take into consideration the quantity and into consideration the quantity and quality of information provided quality of information provided when they buy when they buy PEDsPEDs rather than rather than their brand or modeltheir brand or model..