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   Volume 5, Nomor 2, Agustus 2020 
          ISSN 2442-8965 (P) ISSN 2442-8973 (E) 

 

 

Students’ Perceptions of Using Machine Translation Tools  

In the EFL Classroom 
 

Sujarwo
 

jarwo.ibrahim@gmail.com 

Universitas Megarezky, Indonesia 

 

 

ABSTRACT 
 

Machine Translation (MT) refers to automatically trying to translate words, phrases, text, or 

speech from one language to another (Arnold et al., 1994). This study aims to analyze English 

as Foreign Language (EFL) students’ perceptions on utilizing machine translation (MT) in 

translating words, phrases, text, or speech. This research used descriptive qualitative method, 13 

EFL students as respondents using this type of technology were described and analyzed. Data 

were gained from the analysis of the translation quality supported by machine translation 

procedures and questionnaires to 13 English students in translation subject. The results showed 

that, EFL students in the sixth and seventh semester of English education department of 

Megarezky University in translating words, phrases, texts, paragraphs had to recheck and 

rearrange to get a good translation by their own understandings. Machine Translation 

(MT) becomes another option to recognize the meaning of foreign language. Machine 

Translation can be used as dictionary as well. MT is incredibly useful and helpful, it can provide 

a general description to the users, it gives an inspiration or consideration to the users to 

understand the meaning. 

 

Keywords:  EFL students’ perception;  Machine Translation tools. 

 

 

A. INTRODUCTION 

When the machine translation became on the market online, it has drawn the 

attraction of professional translators and different communities. There have been 

discussions for its attainable implication to their desires. The translation community's 

adoption of machine translation had been undertaken by several researchers in 

numerous countries from the start of the 2000s (Bhattacharyya & Jha, 2016). Machine 

Translation (MT), which refers to the attempt to automate the process of translating text 

or speech from one language to another, and it has become the leading technology in the 

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current age of information technology (Arnold et al., 1994). As the demand for 

translation has increased tremendously, MT is now widely used worldwide (Almutawa 

& Izwaini, 2015 as cited in Sabtan, 2020). Within the past, language learners used a 

dictionary to induce meanings of unknown words within the target language. Looking 

up, traditional dictionaries are time-consuming, and L2 learners might get any 

difficulties in interpreting the meaning of some words.  

Nowadays, a world of omnipresent Wi-Fi connections, laptops, tablets, 

smartphones, foreign language teachers or lecturers, and students has fingertips a broad 

collection of free online resources for translators (FORTs), including powerful of MT 

websites and apps. These online resources have made life easier than before (Alkhatnai, 

2019). For this purpose, previous investigations on the use of MT for EFL teaching and 

learning are explored before discussing their implications for the language class along 

with some practical examples of using MT for language teaching purposes. The article 

concludes with the results of a survey study about the perceptions of language learners 

and language tutors on the use of MT and free online MT for language tuition.  

With the advanced and innovative development of information and communication 

technologies (ICTs), various Internet-based tools such as Facebook, wikis, and blogs 

provide a social and interactive platform on which students have more opportunities to 

practice their writing, create discussion, share their thoughts, and receive instant 

feedback—formal or informal—to their writing. Google, used as an online corpus-

derived engine, has also been widely used for quick and straightforward information 

searches (Tsai, 2019). All the contributions to technology's theoretical and empirical 

aspects are implemented in pedagogy for second instruction and translation studies. The 

very fact that new tools area unit seldom among the creation of recent teaching and 

coaching approaches is remarked upon, as an excessive amount of recent effort has been 

placed into tools and deficient has been dedicated to dynamic teaching strategies and 

approaches (Warschauer and Meskill 2000 as cited in (Carrió-Pastor, 2016).  

Perception is also recognized as a process of receiving, selecting, organizing, 

interpreting, testing, and giving a reaction to an object, event, or problem (Davidoff, 

1998). Perception is a process that is preceded by sensing, which is a stimulus received 

by an individual through a receptor, namely the senses. Studies show that student 

perceptions are crucial factors of student behavior, and it may be a basis for designing 



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the teaching model that optimizing the training outcomes. Students' perceptions reflect 

how, why, and what students learn. The other studies show that investigation on student 

perception is crucial in EFL teaching. In other words, the period when paper 

dictionaries dominated the reference world has gradually expired and e-dictionaries 

rather than traditional paper products have eventually become prominent in word 

reference and Nowadays, in an era of internet and new media technology expansion, 

digital dictionaries are well under way of development and popularity (Jin & Deifell, 

2013 as cited in Le & Dao, 2019).  

As previously stated, the aim of this study is to research the student's perception on 

translation. The student has totally different opinions regarding the course, its content 

and objectives, the level of issue, the time students invested with inside the course, 

adults' learning, and the teacher's role. Wang also suggests that translation is a useful 

gizmo or tool in learning, and there should be more translation exercises. However, such 

perceptions correspond to a frequently reported premature bias, which may a minimum 

of partly disappear as students start interacting with MT and understand how it works 

(Rossi & Chevrot, 2019). 

As Hutchins says, an MT is that the software related to computer systems within 

the interpretation of text messaging, from one familiar language straight into another, 

and MT is the automatic conversion of text/speech from one language to a different 

(Kunchukuttan, 2006 as cited in Marito & Ashari, 2017). Ghazala asserts that 

translation includes both the processes similarly because translators' methods to convey 

the meaning. He rightly states that for an accurate and appropriate translation, 

translators need to understand the meaning of the source text fully. In line with him, all 

aspects of language like meaning, grammar, style, and sounds enjoy equal importance 

within the translation, where failing to watch anybody of them will cause distorting of 

meaning (Hassan, 2020). These new utterly different from traditional translation models 

have also expedited what translators do since they need accelerating the interpretation 

method and redoubled productivity still as developing cooperation skills (Pym, 2003). 

They, thus, can use MT to assist them in meeting such demands, as MT systems can 

save them time and effort.  

 

 



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MT systems will be wont to provide rough translations that might be post-edited by 

translators to provide an accurate translation (Sabtan, 2020). As emphasized before, the 

blending of the technology into the interpretation teaching has modified the means 

translator follows throughout the interpretation method, which influenced the abilities 

expected of them (Odacıoglu & Kokturk, 2015). 

 

B. RESEARCH METHOD 

This study applied qualitative descriptive research method. Qualitative research 

method is called as a new method, because its popularity is new, planted post 

positivistic because based on the philosophy of post positivism (Sugiyono, 2018). This 

method is also referred to as an artistic method, because research is more sebi (less 

patterned), and is called an interpretive method because the research results are more 

concerned with the interpretation of data found in the field. In addition that 

qualitative strategies have faith in text and image knowledge, have distinctive steps in k

nowledge analysis, and draw on numerous styles (Creswell, 2009). 

This research was conducted at the sixth and seventh semester of English 

Department students of Megarezky University. The total number of students as the 

sample in this study were 13 students who had studied translation subject.  

The survey of student perception was managed by online-questionnaire (Google 

form). The questionnaire consisted of 18 closed-ended questionnaires that allow for in-

depth information from the students’ perception on utilizing Machine Translation (MT). 

The data collection can be divided into six sections that draw the students’ perception 

on importance of English subject matters in translation; students’ experience on 

translation assignment, the utility of translation skill; most popular translation ways and 

material; translation learning methods; students’ disposition and course length 

expectation. With intensive literature review, a table of specification with the 

initial things was created to guide item construction for developing the dimensions; we 

tend ready to establish students’ perception and expectation on translation in teaching 

and learning process. 

The responses were analyzed as Bodgan 1998 states in (Sugiyono, 2018) data 

analysis is the process of systematically searching and arranging the interview 

transcripts, field notes, and different materials that you just accumulate to extend your 



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own understanding of them and to change you to gift what you have got discovered to 

others. 

C. FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION 

Findings 

After collecting data by using questionnaires, the researcher got the results of this 

research through some data as follows:  

Q1. Have you ever used machine translation? 

The students chose yes. It means that machine translation enables students to translate 

sentence or words from source language to target language.   

Q2. How often do you use the machine translation? 

The students dominantly use machine translation when they find difficult words. They 

can know  part of speech of the words so that they can place right words into target 

language. 

Q3. Have you ever used machine translation online based? 

Actually the students have ever used machine translation such as google translate. It is 

easy to acces it. The students can get the result of translation although they have to 

rearrange grammar manually. 

Q4. What type of language do you generally search for in a Machine 

Translation? 

Type of language generally used are  English-Indonesian and Indonesian-English. 

Sometimes, students type Indonesian (source language) then translate into English 

(target language) and vise-versa. 

Q5. Have you used translation as a learning devices or tools? 

The students used translation as a learning devices or tools to enable in translating 

difficult words. Generally, they use it when finding unfamiliar words.  

  Q6. Does machine translation help you on translation class? 

The students chose machine translation that can help translating words including 

unfamiliar words. Machine translation providing the result of translation fast. 

Sometimes, assignment can be finished by using machine translation in the class. 

Q7.  What is the role of machine translation for you? 

Students used machine translation because it helps to translate from source language to 



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target language fast and find the new words including unfamiliar words. 

Q8. Do you find it easy to use? 

Students think that machine translation can be used everywhere and anywhere. These 

can be used in offline so that students are not worry to use this machine translation. 

Q9.  How is importance machine translation on your English studies? 

The machine translation helps for students. They can know the meaning of unfamiliar 

word and translate both into Indonesian-English and into English-Indonesian. This 

machine translation is very important for students. 

Q10. What are the benefits of using machine translation? 

The machine translation gives benefits for students especially in translation subject. 

Students can search unfamiliar word fast, help in translating long sentence, easy and 

simple to use it. 

Q11. What is the easier one between English- Indonesian and Indonesian –

English translation? 

Students always use English-Indonesian through machine translation. These is flexible, 

automatically words appear into target language. In addition, there are part of speech 

and sound. 

Q12. What are the effects use Machine translations? 

Students chose machine translation that help to find more words as a positive effect and 

negative effect is to decrease their interest to open dictionary. In addition, machine 

translation can help students to solve the problem in English. 

Q13. Does Machine translation reduce the interest on learning English? 

Machine translation can not reduce students’ interest on learning Eglish. This can help 

students to increase new vocabulary. 

Q14. Which one do you usually use Online or Offline Machine Translation? 

Students install offline machine translation. It is caused that this machine can be used 

anywhere although inadequate network.  

Q15. Can you find all of the words that you are looking for in Machine 

Translation? 

Students sometimes find all words needed through machine translation. One thing that 

make difficult to find it is terms.The students should find in other references. 

Q16: What are the problems that usually faced on using machine translation? 



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Students think that there is a problem when using machine translation. One of them is 

no correlation meaning and incorrect grammar found in the result of translation. There 

is translation of word by word. 

Q18. What will you do to solve if you found the different result of machine 

translation from the principle of translation? 

When students found different result of machine translation, they recheck and rearrange 

to get a good translation by their own understanding. Furthermore, they ask the expert 

and friends.  

Discussion 

Data of questionnaires were collected and processed, the researcher got some 

results. These describe that all of EFL students had ever utilized Machine 

Translation (MT). They required machine translation for various reasons to use it. They 

used it for the aims; to identify all meanings that they wanted to know, it indicated that 

they suspected about their vocabulary mastery.  The students applied machine 

translation when they found difficult or unfamiliar words to translate into target 

language. This machine enables students to provide new words as new vocabulary for 

students. Machine translation commonly used by students are google translate and 

offline dictionary. This machine was used as instead of dictionary in which it can be 

used anywhere and everywhere. 

EFL students who had no confidential and efforts to complement their 

vocabulary, they simply relied on MT.  Students rechecked and rearranged to get a good 

translation by their own understanding. They utilized MT to translate, word, phrase, 

sentence, paragraph, and even text. it absolutely was hazardous for them, because it 

could make them be hit or killed by MT, it absolutely was not a decent situation for 

them as students of English education department, also it absolutely was harmful for 

them after they had to try and do direct conversation where there was no time to browse 

internet about which one do you usually use Online or Offline Machine Translation? 

Their response was using offline MT was better than offline MT. Most of students 

utilized computational linguistics or Machine Translation when they found the difficult 

and new words. Their answers were more dominant on looking for English and 

Indonesian. But when the researcher asked about Is the language utilized in Machine 

Translation simple to comprehend? They responded sometimes it meant that they did 



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not comprehend all the words that searched. They translated some word by 

using MT need more investigation because the researcher was out of control the sort of 

word that they translated the simple familiar word or unfamiliar words. It becomes as a 

phenomenon too, because they said that all of students utilized MT to translate word by 

word. When it is compared to the theory of translation, it had been not the most 

effective translation result, because context can change the meaning of word. 

Using MT was helpful. supported the students’ answers, its most useful laid on the 

practice, it was relevance with Rossi & Chevrot (2019) stated that perceptions of MT 

have a strong impact on both perceived usefulness and actual use. By using MT, they 

might get a description meaning about, words, phrases, sentences, or maybe paragraphs 

faster than looking up dictionary. It meant that the students put MT as another variety 

of dictionary and as a comparison translation result. They assumed that English – 

Indonesian was easier than Indonesian – English translation. It could be predicted 

because Indonesian is their own language, in order that they might predict the 

meaning supported the sentence context. So, this answer was influenced by the language 

richness of the users. Then when the researcher asked about What is the role of 

machine translation for you? They answered MT helped to translate and to find the 

new words, both of options were same because MT was easy to use.  

 

Based on the students’ answer, the consequences of using MT, there were three; 

positive, negatives and no effects, the effect of using MT, and they knew that MT had 

the positive effect it helps to find more words and negative effect is it decrease our 

interest to open dictionary and The result of translation sometimes irrelevant. So the 

positive side, it focused on practicing. They got a general description about acceptation, 

it just needed context understanding, but MT leaded them to a confused situation, 

because sometimes did not have correlation meaning and incorrect grammar from what 

they knew and it was difficult to use if there was no network. It made them confused 

deciding the proper one. Beside it, they said that dictionary made them became lazier to 

open it. This dependence made them lazy to memorize new words. and therefore, 

the last was no effect, but the researcher are doubt about this answer, it is going to be 

caused by their unsureness a few researches. It made two different answers that MT can 

reduce learning interest; yes and no. 



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All of the words may be found in MT, but it was debatable. Because they were 

not asked further about styles of word, they were searching by using MT. Meanwhile a 

number of them answered yes, it's same as too or they were searching the word not 

meaning by using key words. It means it becomes because the next work to create it 

more detail. Actually, the issues would be faced during MT, it depends the user to 

resolve it, for example; grammar and structure, style of words and meaning. they will be 

solved by the user knowledge. So, when the solution was no problem, so it may 

be predicted that the user was superb or very bad in English. it had been good once 

they could connect the interpretation text into the context, meanwhile it had been very 

bad because they did not know the correct one, or in another word that they had no 

choice unless accepted it. the funny answer was due to losing internet connectivity, 

and it had been unacceptable answer. to resolve the issues they faced, they consulted 

them to dictionary. Even though they sometimes faced some problems or difficulties, 

they assumed that MT was very useful, because it could make their task easier and more 

practice by having a general meaning of a translation text, further they use dictionary 

made it clearer. And after knowing the effect of Machine Translation (MT), the students 

just used it if it was necessary, So they knew MT was not too important for them. Also, 

it can be seen in table 20 about what will you do to solve if you found the different 

result of machine translation from the principle of translation? The students’ response 

was rechecked and rearranged to get a good translation by their own understanding, Ask 

the expert and friends and check it back and find in dictionary. So that EFL students in 

the sixth and seventh semester of English education department Universitas Megarezky 

in translating words, phrase, text, paragraph has to recheck and rearrange to get a good 

translation by their own understanding and ask the experts or their friends because MT 

sometimes did not have correlation meaning and incorrect grammar from what they 

knew.  

 

D. CONCLUSIONS 

Based on description above, it can be concluded that as the product of 

technology, Machine Translation (MT) becomes another option to recognize the 

meaning of foreign language. Machine Translation can be used as dictionary, too. MT is 

incredibly useful and helpful, it can provide a general description to the users, it 

gives an inspiration or consideration to the users to understand the meaning. So that, 



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EFL students in the sixth and seventh semester of English education department 

Universitas Megarezky in 2019/2020 academic year in EFL students’ perception to 

translate. MT sometimes do not have correlation meaning and incorrect grammar from 

what they know in translating words, phrase, text, paragraph has to recheck 

and arrange to induce a decent translation by their own and live a private student’s 

perception of an entire category, as distinct from students’ perception of their own 

roles within the classroom and out the classroom in translating by Machine Translation 

(MT). Then, MT basically can be used not only for translating. MT too can be used to 

learn sounds or pronunciation. And for further research, it is recommended to be able to 

analyze in depth about the results of translations by MT conducted by students. This 

matter provides feedback and consideration of students’ perception.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



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