Academic and real-life task-based language needs of marine engineering students: interface between students' and subject teachers' perspectives

English for Specific Purposes (ESP) and Needs Analysis (NA) have been studied to a great extent, since a couple of decades ago. The review of the related studies also shows that needs analysis has been of much concern to the researchers interested in the ESP field. However, ESP for the students of marine engineering has not been investigated in terms of the task-based language needs. The researchers used a quantitative survey. To collect the data, a researcher developed questionnaire consisting of two components (academic & real-life) was employed. The data were analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistics (independent samples-t-tests). Both ME students and subject specialists believed that the academic and real-life task-based language needs are important to ME students. Results also showed that the differences between mean scores of the students and subject specialists were statistically significant. It can be concluded that maritime engineering students, to accomplish their study, need mastery in both receptive and productive language skills. Findings are both theoretically and pedagogically important to ESP educators, administrators of the universities as well the policymakers and administrators of marine engineering.