Cultural specificities of online dictionaries for English learners: Evidence from a user survey and a multimodal discourse analysis

IF 0.7 3区 文学 0 HUMANITIES, MULTIDISCIPLINARY
Shuneng Zhong, Xiqin Liu
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Abstract

Abstract This study examines three popular e-dictionary platforms using a quantitative user survey coupled with a qualitative multimodal discourse analysis (MDA): Chinese Youdao, Cambridge English-Mandarin Chinese Dictionary (Cambridge), and the Free Dictionary (FD). The survey (N = 478) revealed that, despite its language flaws, Youdao was preferred by most Chinese EFL (English as a Foreign Language) learners mainly due to its search functionality and personalization. In contrast, English majors and postgraduates preferred Cambridge for its reliability and multimodal resources. FD ranked the lowest in popularity mainly for perceived inconvenience of searching and less accessibility of personalized functions. Multinomial logistic regressions and structural equation modelling showed that dictionary selection by users was contingent upon their perception of its features and their use strategies. Furthermore, MDA revealed how each dictionary contributed to the construction of a cultural identity. Youdao seemed to be a toolbox for personal use, with raw texts of varying quality, but with a clear and practical vision, in addition to customization options. Cambridge portrayed itself as a welcoming language community through appealing imagery, interactive options, and diverse navigational styles. FD was comparable to a dynamic and cluttered library, archiving large blocks of hyperlinked texts and word lists accompanied by musical animations. In brief, multimodal and cultural factors partially explained Chinese EFL learners’ preferences for a specific dictionary, highlighting the importance of adaptation to the linguistic and cultural background of the user, including customization. A general cultural and semiotic framework is proposed to examine the representation of cultural identity in e-dictionaries.
英语学习者在线词典的文化特征:来自用户调查和多模态语篇分析的证据
摘要本研究采用定量用户调查结合定性多模态语篇分析(MDA)的方法,考察了三个流行的电子词典平台:中国有道、剑桥英汉词典(Cambridge English-Mandarin Chinese Dictionary, Cambridge)和自由词典(Free Dictionary, FD)。调查(N = 478)显示,尽管有道存在语言缺陷,但它的搜索功能和个性化仍然是大多数中国英语学习者的首选。相比之下,英语专业和研究生更喜欢剑桥大学,因为它的可靠性和多模式资源。FD在受欢迎程度上排名最低,主要是因为人们认为搜索不方便,个性化功能的可访问性较差。多项逻辑回归和结构方程模型表明,用户对词典的选择取决于他们对词典特征的感知和使用策略。此外,MDA揭示了每本词典如何有助于文化认同的构建。有道似乎是一个个人使用的工具箱,有不同质量的原始文本,但有一个清晰而实用的愿景,除了定制选项。剑桥通过吸引人的图像、互动选项和多样化的导航风格,将自己描绘成一个受欢迎的语言社区。FD相当于一个动态的、杂乱的库,存档大量的超链接文本和单词列表,并伴有音乐动画。总之,多模态和文化因素部分解释了中国英语学习者对特定词典的偏好,突出了适应用户语言和文化背景的重要性,包括定制。本文提出了一个通用的文化和符号学框架来研究电子词典中文化认同的表征。
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来源期刊
CiteScore
1.80
自引率
25.00%
发文量
78
期刊介绍: DSH or Digital Scholarship in the Humanities is an international, peer reviewed journal which publishes original contributions on all aspects of digital scholarship in the Humanities including, but not limited to, the field of what is currently called the Digital Humanities. Long and short papers report on theoretical, methodological, experimental, and applied research and include results of research projects, descriptions and evaluations of tools, techniques, and methodologies, and reports on work in progress. DSH also publishes reviews of books and resources. Digital Scholarship in the Humanities was previously known as Literary and Linguistic Computing.
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