An exploratory study on search behavior in different languages

Abstract

More and more people search online in a language that is not their native language due to the limited availability of content in underrepresented languages [1]. Most such users search in English as a second language. Very few researchers studied the challenges second language searchers face, even though searching in a foreign language and language proficiency and skills constitute an essential part of the context of searching, which can in return impact the search process and outcome. This exploratory study examines differences in first and second language web searching. Query reformulations from 14 participants who searched in English (first language) and Spanish (second language) and 17 participants who searched in Hungarian (first language) and English (second language) are analyzed and compared. Preliminary results show that searching in a foreign language requires significantly longer time, more query reformulations, and more websites viewed. User feedback also indicates that the search strategy that our participants successfully use in their first language is often much less efficient in their second language.