Multilingualism in Academia
Opportunities and Challenges of Conducting and Communicating Research in Multiple Languages
A session summary from this year’s Open Science Barcamp held in Potsdam, Germany.
Session board: https://barcamps.eu/oscibar2024/events/6a5e7ea9-28f7-400e-aee8-d7650a190a03/multilingualism_in_academia
While research outputs are predominantly published in English, multilingual communication in research is essential for both inclusivity and the dissemination of locally relevant findings. We explored the opportunities and challenges of conducting and communicating research in multiple languages and found that incorporating multilingualism into scientific research communication can enhance equity, accessibility, and the global reach of knowledge. By promoting language flexibility in publications and leveraging resources that support multilingual research, the scientific community can create a more inclusive and impactful research landscape.
Key Challenges
- Language Barriers and Accessibility
- Impact of Publishing in English
- Colonial Legacy in Scientific Publishing
Research published exclusively in English may limit accessibility to non-English speakers, particularly in regions where the local language is essential for conveying locally relevant solutions. For instance, research addressing ecological problems in India may not reach a wider audience if published in a small regional language, while English-only publications may not benefit local communities. Automatic translation tools often fail to capture the complexity of scientific language, creating a language bubble that hinders understanding across linguistic boundaries.
Many researchers find themselves forced to publish in English due to its dominance in commercial and prestigious journals. This compromises the researchers’ ability to address local issues effectively and diminishes its relevance to non-English-speaking audiences. While translating scientific content into other languages could increase reach, full translations can be complex due to nuances and cultural interpretations that often do not map directly from one language to another.
African researchers often face the challenge of publishing in colonial languages (e.g., English, French) rather than their mother tongue and local/regional indigenous languages, perpetuating inequity in scientific communication. This restricts the representation of African languages in scientific research and contributes to the underutilization of knowledge in these languages.
Opportunities for Multilingual Research
- Enhanced Discoverability and Reach
- Leveraging Multilingual Resources
- Multilingual Research as a Path to Equity and Inclusion
Providing metadata (titles, abstracts, and keywords) in different languages, can significantly improve the discoverability of research outputs. This is crucial for projects that target specific linguistic communities, allowing for broader engagement and collaboration.
Research repositories, such as AfricArXiv and Open Journal Systems, include features for multilingualism, allowing scholars to publish and share their work in various languages, improving equity and representation in research.
The Helsinki Multilingualism Initiative and the UNESCO Open Science Recommendation promote multilingualism in research as part of the broader goal of Open Science. These initiatives aim to increase equity and autonomy in research by encouraging scientists to communicate in languages other than English.
Digital repository systems, specifically the recently released DSpace 8.0, have improved language coverage. Multilingual curation options are key resources for researchers looking to publish work in languages other than English, or sharing multilingual content.
Embracing multilingualism in science fosters inclusivity and ensures that knowledge is shared across linguistic borders. This is especially important for fields like ecology or local problem-solving, where publishing in a local language enhances the impact of research in those communities. Encouraging research teams to explore the use of their native languages in academic settings can empower researchers globally and help break the dominance of English in science.
Recommendations
- More journals and repositories can offer the option for multilingual publications and allow metadata in multiple languages to increase the reach of niche research and ensure that local solutions are available to local communities.
- Researchers can take advantage of community-run repositories and journals (e.g. Diamond OA journals) that allow for multilingual content curation. These platforms offer a chance to decolonize scientific publishing by enabling researchers to publish in their native languages.
- Research evaluation metrics can account for outputs in various languages to prevent the dominance of English in the field. Doing so would encourage diversity in scientific communication and ensure the representation of a broader range of research findings.
Author information
Dr. Johanna Havemann (ORCID: 0000-0002-6157-1494) is a consultant and trainer specializing in Open Science Communication and digital Science Project Management. As founder of Access 2 Perspectives and AfricArXiv, she enables researchers to share knowledge for societal impact as they advance their careers.
