A Survey On MTI Students' Self-perceived Interpreting Proficiency,Learning Motivation And Their Correlation

As a determinant affective factor in foreign language learning,motivation matters a lot.So far,there has been mounting empirical research on motivation for foreign language learning among scholars and researchers.However,the study on motivation for interpreting learning is relatively limited.This survey has made special efforts to explore MTI students' self-perceived interpreting proficiency,learning motivation and their correlation based on the intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation proposed by Deci and Ryan with questionnaire as the instrument and seventy-four MTI students from eleven universities in China as the subjects.The survey has drawn the following conclusions.In terms of their self-perceived interpreting proficiency,18.92% of the subjects perceive it above the moderate level,54.05% of them believe their interpreting proficiency stands at the moderate level,and27.03% of them think their interpreting proficiency is below the moderate level.In general,MTI students have higher intrinsic motivation for interpreting learning than extrinsic motivation,and there is a great significance between the two.The determinant intrinsic motivation indicators for interpreting learning among MTI students stem from their strong self-determination to learn interpreting,their interest and curiosity to learn interpreting,as well as the satisfaction obtained from interpreting learning.While their main extrinsic motivation indicators which have strong impact on interpreting learning spring from such reasons as improving overall capabilities,enhancing language skills,getting a decent interpreting-related job,and experiencing cultures of English-speaking countries better.Their least important extrinsic motivational factors for interpreting learning are going abroad,getting a diploma,and forced learning of interpreting.Their gender,grade,and age have no direct impact on their extrinsic motivation for interpreting learning.However,their gender exerts a significant effect on MTI students' intrinsic motivation forinterpreting learning;male MTI students have higher intrinsic motivation for interpreting learning compared with female ones.Besides,there is a significant positive correlation between their self-perceived interpreting proficiency and intrinsic motivation for interpreting learning.The higher their intrinsic motivation for interpreting learning is,the better their self-perceived interpreting proficiency becomes.The survey has gone some way towards enhancing our understanding about MTI students' self-perceived interpreting proficiency and their learning motivation;it is expected to offer some empirical evidence for further research into this field.