Biography
Dr Dumelang Thomas-Kereeditse is a Lecturer in the Department of Languages, Linguistics and Literary Studies at the University of Botswana. She specializes in Translation and Interpreting and teaches linguistics courses. Her research interests include multilingualism, language policy, and translation studies, with a particular focus on how translation can be leveraged to promote linguistic diversity and support the implementation of multilingual language policies. Her work examines the role of translation in enhancing communication, inclusion, and access to information in multilingual societies.
Conference contributions 1
AI- ASSISTED TRANSLATION IN SETSWANA LANGUAGE LEARNING:
A usage-based and sociopragmatic perspective
The increasing integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in language learning has led to a growing reliance on machine translation tools. While such technologies offer immediate access to multilingual equivalents, their effectiveness in the context of under-resourced languages remains questionable. Drawing on observation and discourse analysis, this study demonstrates that learners of Setswana, which is an under-resourced language, are likely to encounter translation inaccuracies, particularly at the level of discourse. These errors arise from the inability of AI systems to adequately capture context-dependent meaning, cultural nuance, and pragmatic intent. This study employs AI-assisted translation within a Setswana proficiency classroom to evaluate its pedagogical potential and limitations. Framed by usage-based theory and sociopragmatic theory, the research examines how AI-generated target texts interact with the socially nature of meaning in language use. Findings indicate that while AI tools can support vocabulary acquisition, they fail to account for discourse-level features such as coherence, politeness strategies, and culturally specific expressions. Therefore, this study argues that AI translation should be used as a supplementary resource rather than a primary learning tool in Setswana language proficiency lessons. This highlights the need for critical engagement with AI outputs and emphasises the role of teacher in mediating meaning and guiding learners toward contextually appropriate language use. This contributes to broader discussion on technology-enhanced language learning in low-resource contexts.