Theoretical perspectives and factors influencing machine translation use in L2 writing: A scoping review

Abstract

Despite the increasing popularity of machine translation in second language (L2) writing, the theoretical perspectives and complex factors shaping its use remain under synthesized. This article reviews research on machine translation use in L2 writing to identify major models and factors that shape teachers’ and students’ employment of machine translation. Theoretical perspectives underpinning machine translation research are first synthesized to categorize machine translation into three models: a linguistic processor, a mediational artifact, and a translanguaging process. What then reviewed are empirical studies, revealing a predominant focus on linguistic factors in terms of how machine translation shapes L2 writing. More recent research has also examined person-related factors and taken the effectiveness of machine translation as conditioning upon individual differences of teachers and students. Contextual factors in interpersonal, instructional, and institutional settings and ideological factors are also identified. A conceptual framework is then developed to illuminate the interrelatedness of the identified factors during the process of using machine translation. The study argues for a need to avoid taking machine translation as a politically neutral participant in L2 writing. Implications for enhancing the effectiveness of machine translation use in L2 writing and suggestions for further research are also provided.