Decoding semanticity of Chinese vocabulary via google translate use / Paramaswari Jaganathan and Lee Pin Ling

The logophonetic feature of Chinese writing makes it a challenge for Chinese-as-a-foreign
language (CFL) students to comprehend the semantic of words based on the character alone.
This qualitative study aims at analyzing CFL learners’ perception of using Google Translate
(GT) and the methods of utilizing GT in their CFL course. Students were given a task-sheet to
identify the most suitable meaning in context. This was followed by an interview session to
identify how the CFL learners made the selection for words with multiple semantics. The study
showed that the respondents generally found GT useful in assisting students to identify the
semanticity of words. However, the absence of specific language forms in the Chinese language
poses difficulty in the selection of accurate meaning. CFL learners need to acquire the
knowledge of Chinese sentence structure, language variation and syntax to utilize GT more
effectively in CFL classes, particularly in selecting the accurate meaning for words with multiple
semantics. This study provides useful guidance in enhancing a more creative CFL teaching and
learning practice in language learning and teaching with the use of GT.