Usefulness of humorous English texts as language input : views of English majors at Mu’tah University

Abstract EN

This paper explores the outcomes of introducing and of exploiting a variety of English humorous texts in a reading-translation credit course for mixed-ability Arabic-speaking English majors at Mu’tah University in Jordan.

The data used to achieve the purpose of this study were collected through a likert-type questionnaire from a purposeful sample consisting of sixty English majors at Mu'tah University.

The results of the study show positive outcomes for the use of this type of language content in several areas, particularly in the areas of students’ involvement in in-class, and out-of-class activities, as well as in the level of their interest in reading and translating this type of texts.

The paper provides recommendations for making a better use of this often-neglected type of linguistic and cultural input in translation and in reading courses by English instructors at Mu'tah University and in similar educational contexts as well.