ChatGPT in English-Arabic Translation: Learner Perceptions and the Treatment of Humour and Empathy
Authors
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Muneer Hezam Alqahtani 
Department of Curriculum and Instruction, College of Education, King Faisal University, AlAhsa 31982, Saudi Arabia
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Arif Ahmed Mohammed Hassan Al-Ahdal
Department of English Language and Literature, College of Languages and Humanities, Qassim University, Buraydah 52571, Saudi Arabia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v7i12.11682Abstract
Although English is truly the global lingua franca today, machine translation (MT) of paralinguistic elements like humour and empathy is not totally seamless in the EnglishArabic language pair. This study examined the effectiveness of ChatGPT, a generative artificial intelligence (AI) model, in translating these elements, and how Saudi translation students who use AI tools for translation perceive its performance. The study applied a mixedmethods approach by gathering quantitative data through a Likertscale questionnaire from 46 undergraduate translation students at Qassim University, Saudi Arabia, and qualitative data was gathered through an analysis of texts translated by ChatGPT. The questionnaire was validated and tested, demonstrating high reliability with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.670. The findings showed that, overall, translation output in ChatGPT was strong, and users have high confidence in the tool for formal and academic translation, with a high average score of 4.00. However, its performance in conveying humour (mean = 3.33) and empathy (mean = 3.37) is moderate, which can lead to neutral or culturally mismatched results. The study concludes that while ChatGPT is a useful educational tool for improving accessibility and motivating translation practice, it needs significant improvements in cultural and emotional intelligence. Additionally, the language dataset can be enhanced with rich Arabic content. Despite the mixed results, it can be recommended that educators critically incorporate ChatGPT into curricula, while simultaneously focusing on postediting and crosscultural comparison exercises for best practices.
Keywords:
Artificial Intelligence, ChatGPT, Humour, Empathy, Machine Translation, English-Arabic Translation, Research WorkReferences
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Copyright © 2025 Muneer Hezam Alqahtani, Arif Ahmed Mohammed Hassan Al-Ahdal
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