Translating Arabic-English Collocations Proficiency among EFL Jordanian Learners

Abstract

Arabic-speaking EFL learners often encounter challenges when translating collocations between English and Arabic. Aim: The current study aims to identify the challenging areas that students face when translating collocations and explore potential strategies to address these difficulties. Data Collection: To this end, a diagnostic test was administered to 50 students at Mu’tah University in Jordan, including grammatical and lexical collocations in both Arabic and English. Data Analysis: Following the completion of the test, students' translations were evaluated, and analyzed using simple descriptive statistics. Additionally, semi-structured interviews with four experienced translation instructors were conducted, contributing valuable insights into potential strategies for addressing these challenges and suggesting more effective teaching methods. The interviews were analyzed through thematic analysis. Findings: The findings revealed a proficiency level of 56.28% in English to Arabic translation and 46.42% in the reverse direction, highlighting substantial prospect for improvement. Consequently, this study calls for the enhancement of collocation instruction, the integration of corpus-based learning approaches, and the utilization of bilingual dictionaries as well as AI tools as essential tools to strengthen the translation competencies of Jordanian EFL students. These recommendations aim to empower both students and educators in their pursuit of translation excellence.