I'm aware of the reality that one simply has to know English to get by in academia, believe me -I barely remember working with resources in any other language while doing Japanese Studies in Belgium. The concentration of resources in English-speaking areas has grown historically and continues to be strengthened by the fact that so many non-native speakers learn to use English out of necessity. Using English is just not optional in the vast majority of countries that are not China-, US- or France-sized.
That's the way it is and it's not going to change, but frankly, I'm amazed that there isn't more discussion about the huge downsides of this system. Imagine demanding that American twenty-year-olds become proficient in Chinese if they want to make a name for themselves in bioengineering/sociology/name your field. It does sound absurd, but it's pretty much the equivalent of asking young Japanese researchers to express themselves in the Queen's good English if they want to be heard. Learning a language that is totally unrelated to your own and that's of no use to you in daily life is difficult and time-consuming, and learning to express yourself in that language on an academic level is fiendishly hard. Less than perfect language ability immediately reflects badly on a scholar's credibility. Anyone who has to jump through all those hoops before being 'allowed' onto the international academic scene in any field is at huge disadvantage compared to native English speakers. Whatever the odds are of this system ever changing, it's extremely problematic, and that should be recognized and talked about.
Like you say, English is quite firmly ingrained as the default language in very many fields (if not all), and I don't believe for a minute that that would change if people suddenly started complaining. But I'm interested to see what the reactions would be. There are undoubtedly translation and language experts with bright ideas about this problem, and I'd love to hear them make some noise.
I must admit I don't know much about PhD programs except those in Belgium and Japan. You're nearing the end of your program, right? Four years?
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momijizukamori
no subject
Date: 2010-01-02 02:49 pm (UTC)That's the way it is and it's not going to change, but frankly, I'm amazed that there isn't more discussion about the huge downsides of this system. Imagine demanding that American twenty-year-olds become proficient in Chinese if they want to make a name for themselves in bioengineering/sociology/name your field. It does sound absurd, but it's pretty much the equivalent of asking young Japanese researchers to express themselves in the Queen's good English if they want to be heard. Learning a language that is totally unrelated to your own and that's of no use to you in daily life is difficult and time-consuming, and learning to express yourself in that language on an academic level is fiendishly hard. Less than perfect language ability immediately reflects badly on a scholar's credibility. Anyone who has to jump through all those hoops before being 'allowed' onto the international academic scene in any field is at huge disadvantage compared to native English speakers. Whatever the odds are of this system ever changing, it's extremely problematic, and that should be recognized and talked about.
Like you say, English is quite firmly ingrained as the default language in very many fields (if not all), and I don't believe for a minute that that would change if people suddenly started complaining. But I'm interested to see what the reactions would be. There are undoubtedly translation and language experts with bright ideas about this problem, and I'd love to hear them make some noise.
I must admit I don't know much about PhD programs except those in Belgium and Japan. You're nearing the end of your program, right? Four years?