As part of a larger project on the use of MT in healthcare settings among migrant com- munities, this paper investigates if, when, how, and with what (potential) challenges migrants use MT based on... Show moreAs part of a larger project on the use of MT in healthcare settings among migrant com- munities, this paper investigates if, when, how, and with what (potential) challenges migrants use MT based on a survey of 201 non-native speakers of Dutch currently liv- ing in the Netherlands. Three main findings stand out from our analysis. First, the data shows that most migrants use MT to under- stand health information in Dutch and com- municate with health professionals. How MT is used and received varies depending on the context and the L2 language level, as well as age, but not on the educational level. Sec- ond, some users face challenges of different kinds, including a lack of trust or perceived inaccuracies. Some of these challenges relate to comprehension, bringing us to our third point. We argue that more research is needed to understand the needs of migrants when it comes to translated expert-to-non-expert health communication. This questionnaire helped us identify several topics we hope to explore in the project's next phase. Show less
Machine Translation (MT), the process by which a computer engine such as Google Translate or Bing automatically translates a text from one language into another without any human involvement, is... Show moreMachine Translation (MT), the process by which a computer engine such as Google Translate or Bing automatically translates a text from one language into another without any human involvement, is increasingly used in professional, institutional and everyday contexts for a wide range of purposes.While a growing number of studies has looked at professional translators and translation students, there is currently a lack of research on nontranslator users and uses in multilingual contexts.This paper presents a survey examining how, when and why students at Leiden University’s Faculty of Humanities use MT. A questionnaire was used to determine which MT engines students use and for what purposes, and gauge their awareness of issues concerning privacy, academic integrity and plagiarism. The findings reveal a widespread adoption of Google Translate and indicate that students use MT predominantly to look up single words, as an alternative to a dictionary. Many seemed sceptical about thevalue of MT for educational purposes, and many assumed that the use of MT is not permitted by lecturers for graded assignments, especially in courses focusing on language skills.The results demonstrate a clear need for more MT literacy. Students may not need practical training in how to use MT, but there is much room for improvement in terms of when and why they use it. Show less
