Speakers
Description
This paper presents findings from the third phase of a longitudinal repeated cross‑sectional study examining dictionary‑use patterns among graduates of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) and German as a Foreign Language (GFL) programmes in Hungary. Drawing on questionnaire data collected in 2020, 2023, and 2026, the study investigates how dictionary use is reshaped in an increasingly digital and AI‑mediated reference environment, with particular attention to generative AI‑based tools. The results indicate both continuity and change in reference practices. Online dictionaries and search engines remain widely used, but their dominant position is increasingly complemented by machine translation systems and generative AI tools. Print dictionaries continue to be widely owned, yet their frequency of use shows a gradual decline, pointing to a growing gap between ownership and actual use. The 2026 data provide early evidence that chatbots have become part of graduates’ language‑support repertoires, functioning as multifunctional tools that combine dictionary‑like, translation, and text‑support functions. The findings suggest a redistribution of reference practices within a hybrid digital environment and highlight the need to reconsider dictionary didactics in light of learners’ expanding engagement with AI‑based language technologies.