The manifold costs of being a non-native English speaker in science
2023/07/18 by Tatsuya Amano, Valeria Ramírez‐Castañeda, Violeta Berdejo‐Espinola +8 · 3 voices · 53 citations
Computer Science · Decision Sciences · #Expert finding and Q&A systems #scientometrics and bibliometrics research
paper · doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.3002184
Abstract
The use of English as the common language of science represents a major impediment to maximising the contribution of non-native English speakers to science. Yet few studies have quantified the consequences of language barriers on the career development of researchers who are non-native English speakers. By surveying 908 researchers in environmental sciences, this study estimates and compares the amount of effort required to conduct scientific activities in English between researchers from different countries and, thus, different linguistic and economic backgrounds. Our survey demonstrates that non-native English speakers, especially early in their careers, spend more effort than native English speakers in conducting scientific activities, from reading and writing papers and preparing presentations in English, to disseminating research in multiple languages. Language barriers can also cause them not to attend, or give oral presentations at, international conferences conducted in English. We urge scientific communities to recognise and tackle these disadvantages to release the untapped potential of non-native English speakers in science. This study also proposes potential solutions that can be implemented today by individuals, institutions, journals, funders, and conferences. Please see the Supporting information files (S2-S6 Text) for Alternative Language Abstracts and Figs 5 and 6.
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Discussions
- lol at last line of caption: "This figure is not intended to suggest that science is a race." The treachery of images! (source doi.org/10.1371/jour...) [bsky, 86 points, 5 comments]
- Obviously this does not reflect the true productivity of researchers facing gender, economic and #languagebarriers, as they face tremendous hurdles when conducting various scientific activities, as we [bsky, 11 points, 2 comments]
- Citation: Amano T, Ramírez-Castañeda V, Berdejo-Espinola V, Borokini I, Chowdhury S, Golivets M, et al. (2023) The manifold costs of being a non-native English speaker in science. PLoS Biol 21(7): e30 [bsky, 5 points, 1 comments]
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