Yemeni Students Utilization of Google Translate for Learning English Language: Use, Advantages, and Disadvantages

Abstract

A significant number of students use instant apps to translate documents to facilitate a successful learning process. The study aims to investigate the extent of utilization of GT by Yemeni students, examine their perceptions of using GT in their studies, and scrutinize the advantages and disadvantages of GT from their perspectives. This study employs a mixed method- quantitative and qualitative. The tools for data collection are a questionnaire and a  semi-structured interview. The questionnaire is administered to 283 participants. The interview is presented to 20 students. A thematic analysis is used to analyse the obtained data. The study found that Yemeni students use GT at a low level (neutral) to learn the English language but they appreciate its bilingual speed. They also suggested combining machine and human translation for accurate and high-quality results. The study revealed no gender impact utilization of GT for learning the English language. It was noticed that diploma and bachelor's students have positive attitudes towards GT, while master's and PhD students are neutral. The responses of the participants showed the advantages of GT outperformed the disadvantages of GT. English language teachers should emphasize how to do MTPE and analyze GT defects. The research emphasized directing Yemeni EFL learners to machine translation's limitations, MT opportunities, types of texts to be translated, the difficulty of translating the implied meaning and potential inaccuracies.