Learning the Two Translations of Translation-Ambiguous Words: Simultaneous vs. Consecutive Presentation

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  • Author(s): Tokowicz, Natasha (ORCID Tokowicz, Natasha (ORCID 0000-0002-2317-4447); Rice, Caitlin A.; Ekves, Zachary
  • Language:
    English
  • Source:
    Second Language Research. Jul 2023 39(3):811-832.
  • Publication Date:
    2023
  • Document Type:
    Journal Articles
    Reports - Research
  • Additional Information
    • Availability:
      SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: [email protected]; Web site: https://sagepub.com
    • Peer Reviewed:
      Y
    • Source:
      22
    • Education Level:
      Higher Education
      Postsecondary Education
    • Subject Terms:
      Translation; Ambiguity (Semantics); Native Speakers; English; German; Second Language Learning; Accuracy; Prediction; Associative Learning; Comparative Analysis; Language Processing; Language Usage; Teaching Methods; Language Tests; Reaction Time; Second Language Instruction; Vocabulary Development; Undergraduate Students
    • Accession Number:
      10.1177/02676583221090069
    • ISSN:
      0267-6583
      1477-0326
    • Abstract:
      Some words have more than one translation across languages. Such translation-ambiguous words are harder to learn, recognize, and produce for individuals across the language learning spectrum. Past research demonstrates that learning both translations of translation-ambiguous words on consecutive trials confers an accuracy advantage relative to learning them on separate sessions. We tested the proposal that presenting the two translations of translation-ambiguous words simultaneously on the screen could facilitate the formation of a more integrated mapping, because this would enable learners to make direct comparisons between them, whether implicitly or explicitly. We predicted that this facilitation would especially hold for translation-ambiguous words with related translations. Fifty native English speakers learned 48 German words with one or two translations that varied in the meaning similarity of their translations. Paired associate training took place on a Monday, and a first language (L1) to second language (L2) translation production test took place on Wednesday and Friday. Generally, higher translation similarity facilitated translation speed. In accuracy, training condition interacted with the similarity of the translations; translation accuracy was more affected by translation similarity in the simultaneous condition and went up as similarity increased. Overall, the consecutive condition demonstrated higher accuracy and faster reaction times than the simultaneous training condition, suggesting that learners may have been unable to successfully divide their study time between multiple words on the screen without explicit instruction.
    • Abstract:
      As Provided
    • Publication Date:
      2023
    • Accession Number:
      EJ1385460