Expressional Accuracy and Learner Autonomy in English into Chinese Four-character Patterns’ Translation
Abstract
This paper aims to explore advanced ESL learners’ ability to make improvements in expressional accuracy by autonomously noticing translation techniques and tackling their own expressional difficulties. 24 advanced ESL non-English major college students are randomly divided into two experimental groups with 12 engaged in an implicit task in which they are showed authentic translation to be compared with their own translation with presentation of certain common practices in translating English and the other 12 in a contrast task in which no such comparison materials are provided. Results suggest that such a comparison task is beneficial in allowing learners to make gains in translation.