Multilingual scholarship and the paradox of translation and language in management and organization studies (original) (raw)
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TESOL Quarterly, 2004
This article examines how multilingual scholars who work outside English-speaking countries negotiate the demand to publish in English alongside their broader academic and publishing interests. Based on our ethnographic study of the academic writing and publishing practices of 16 psychology scholars in Hungary, Slovakia, and Spain, we characterize the range of communities for whom the scholars are writing, drawing on notions of discourse community, community of practice, and speech community. We discuss the differential value attached to publications for different communities and how such value is sustained through the rewards systems in which scholars work. We offer brief profiles of three scholars from the study to illustrate how they negotiate academic and professional interests. We explain implications of the findings to TESOL, particularly for curriculum and pedagogy in English for academic purposes.
Apples - Journal of Applied Language Studies, 2022
Although languages other than English, along with various forms of translation, are intrinsic to multilingual researchers' scholarly activities, they generally remain less visible in English-medium publications. In this discussion paper, I explore this topic from a broader sociopolitical perspective by looking at the use and function of translation in various stages of research and writing for publication. Drawing on recent studies on multilingualism in academia and my own experience as a teache r of research communication, I argue that in the academic context, translation cannot be seen as a mere linguistic act or a communication tool as it is inextricably tied to complex and multilayered contexts, identities, and ideologies. Thus, translation decisions should not be based solely on practical considerations but also on a critical evaluation of the intricate social, cultural, ethical, and ideological dimensions of scholarly communication and interaction. Developing a greater awareness of the multiple functions and far-reaching effects of translation is beneficial for all actors directly or indirectly involved in scholarly research and publishing. I believe that a deeper reflection on these issues not only contributes to more diversity and equity in academia but enables novice multilingual writers to embrace their agency and make decisions that are better aligned with their personal values, interests, and goals.
Translation and dealing with “the other” in scholarly research and publishing
Apples: journal of applied language studies, 2022
Although languages other than English, along with various forms of translation, are intrinsic to multilingual researchers' scholarly activities, they generally remain less visible in English-medium publications. In this discussion paper, I explore this topic from a broader sociopolitical perspective by looking at the use and function of translation in various stages of research and writing for publication. Drawing on recent studies on multilingualism in academia and my own experience as a teache r of research communication, I argue that in the academic context, translation cannot be seen as a mere linguistic act or a communication tool as it is inextricably tied to complex and multilayered contexts, identities, and ideologies. Thus, translation decisions should not be based solely on practical considerations but also on a critical evaluation of the intricate social, cultural, ethical, and ideological dimensions of scholarly communication and interaction. Developing a greater awareness of the multiple functions and far-reaching effects of translation is beneficial for all actors directly or indirectly involved in scholarly research and publishing. I believe that a deeper reflection on these issues not only contributes to more diversity and equi ty in academia but enables novice multilingual writers to embrace their agency and make decisions that are better aligned with their personal values, interests, and goals.
Martín: Knowledge Construction in academia: A challenge for multilingual scholars
JERPP, 2020
This book comprehensibly explores the impact of English, as the main international language of research publication, on the production of academic knowledge worldwide and the implications for users of English as an additional language. Drawing on the frameworks of genre analysis (Swales, 2004), appraisal theory (Martin & White, 2005), and interview-based textography, the author analyses the Introduction and Discussion/Conclusion sections of research articles (RAs) in English and Spanish in the disciplines of applied linguistics and education, produced by three groups of writers: English L1, Spanish L1 and English L2. In line with the findings of previous intercultural research, the author's results confirm the influence of the first language on the preference for specific academic practices and the importance of understanding rhetorical variation across cultures as a way of adapting efficiently to the conventions expected by the (national and) international academic community in order to get acceptance from peer review gatekeepers. A main contribution to this area of research is the interesting finding which shows that in contemporary academic discourse there is a growing tendency to use interdiscursive hybridity features in English L2 which seem to be accepted by international gatekeepers, since the RAs in Sheldon's corpus were finally published in international indexed journals. This indicates that the current tendency points to greater flexibility and tolerance for discourse patterns which do not adhere completely to the standard Anglophone rhetorical practices. The volume is divided into eight chapters, including an extended section of updated references, appendices with the analyses of sample texts and an index with the most relevant terms referred to in the main sections of the book. In Chapter 1, the author starts by contextualizing the present situation in which multilingual scholars are under an increasing pressure to publish in indexed English-language journals if they pursue academic promotion and international recognition. She then continues posing a series of research questions regarding this issue, i.e. how multilingual scholars' practices accommodate global demands in academia, the extent to which English as L2 is influenced by L1 national writing culture, and the degree of acceptance on the part of literacy brokers of discourse
Unpacking the Lore on Multilingual Scholars Publishing in English: A Discussion Paper
Publications
In the past three decades, a body of research on issues related to multilingual scholars writing for publication has emerged, paralleling the rise of pressures on scholars around the world to publish their work in high-status journals, especially those included in particular journal citation indexes; these indexes typically privilege the use of English. Researchers have investigated multilingual scholars’ experiences and perspectives, the social contexts of their work, policies on research publishing, aspects of the texts produced by multilingual scholars, the kinds of people scholars interact with while working to publish their research, their collaborations and networks, and pedagogical initiatives to support their publishing efforts. Nevertheless, as ongoing research is conducted, the existing research base has not always been consulted in meaningful ways. In this paper, we draw on the notion of ‘lore’ to identify some of the preconceptions or received wisdom about multilingual s...
Multilingualism in academic writing for publication: Putting English in its place
Language Teaching
We are living in an era characterized by multilingualism, global mobility, superdiversity (Blommaert, 2010), and digital communications. Mobility and multilingualism, however, have long characterized most geolinguistic contexts, including those where monolingual ideologies have influenced the formation of contemporary nation states (Cenoz, 2013). As language is a pillar of both curriculum and instruction, in many academic spaces around the world efforts are on the rise to acknowledge the colonial origins of English, decenter the dominance of Standard English(es), and decolonize knowledge production (e.g., Bhambra et al., 2018; de Sousa Santos, 2017). Additionally, many ‘inner circle’ (Kachru, 2001) Anglophone contexts have long witnessed the centrifugal forces of multilingualism. Yet what prevails in institutional academic contexts is a centripetal pull toward what has been captured in phrases such as ‘linguistic mononormativity’ (Blommaert & Horner, 2017) or ‘Anglonormativity’ (McK...