English and/or norsk?

Denne teksten er et debatt­inn­legg. Inn­holdet i teksten uttrykker forfatterens egen mening.

I appreciate the engagement of ‘Språkrådet’ and Norwegian publishers in favoring the use of local languages in academia. Protecting the Norwegian languages and heritage is a noble and essential pursuit.

Yet, the internationalization of academia should not become the indirect target in a debate that otherwise is to promote academic freedom and academic responsibility, while securing diversity, equity, and inclusion.

The trend to protect local languages at universities in Norway has even caught the attention of the international press because it is not an isolated event, but a trend which is also at stake in other European countries.

norsk fagspråk

Vil at universiteter og høg­skoler må forpliktes til å velge norsk pensum

The irony is that the richness of languages is to provide nuance, curiosity, cultural humility, multicultural learning, but the debate seldom acknowledges this potential explicitly.  

A recent piece in Nature called «Academic language has become a proxy for European culture wars», documents the rationale, and the dilemmas, of overemphasizing local languages — including Norwegian — without addressing the implications this has for the work life of academics, or the links between research and social impact at a global scale.

Our current research minister seems to share the public commitment to strive for nuance and balance when reminding us in a recent piece at Khrono that, as a small country, Norway is to take care of its languages, as much as connect to the world, primarily in English.

Debatt ● Sigrun Aasland

Norsk forskning trenger norsk språk

If we follow Aasland's premise, then we should favor both English and Norwegian use in academia, and we should also prevent arguments that, directly or indirectly, create gaps in the career opportunities of scholars who have other mother tongues.

Languages are meant to build bridges, not walls, and their use in higher education is intended to enhance the quality of our education, research practices, and outreach in scientific and public dissemination.  

Therefore, we need to stay gentle and welcoming when talking about those whose language proficiency will never be perfect, but ‘good enough’. 

We should not forget that local students and employees also need access to learning opportunities to develop their English skills, as multilingual proficiency is a valuable asset for them to remain competitive in the job market.

Let's put it this way: we aren't shutting down English, German, Spanish, or French courses at Norwegian schools because it matters that children and adolescents can connect with other forms of communication and knowledge, in parallel with their Norwegian skills.

The demands of learning in higher education increase in complexity and depth, and, therefore, we need to secure, in the greatest degree possible, that the learning opportunities for students and employees are up to international standards.

In addition, there is a detail that remains taboo in this language debate: the profit that Norwegian publishing houses gain if universities favor books they publish. I cheer for the sustainable development of national and international publishers. 

However, as lecturers, we are responsible for discerning what is the most pertinent source of information to support our students' learning, and some of these cutting-edge textbooks are not yet available in the Norwegian languages.  

Debatt ● Marte Blikstad-Balas, Thom Jambak og Åse Wetås

Alvorlige utfordringer for norsk fagspråk

For instance, in the history of psychology, which is one of my fields of interest, there is only one book available in the country that has done a fair job for decades, but it is also outdated, and in specific chapters, the quality of the information is debatable.  

Shall we continue have this outdated book in the pensum because it is written in Norwegian? Should we combine it with other pieces of literature that provide complementary perspectives, even if in another language?  

Suppose the goal is to promote the local languages: Wouldn't it be a great idea to support more translations from the best academic resources in the history of psychology, already available in English or German? In principle, practices alike would help universities comply with NOKUT's recommendations for quality assurance in research-based teaching while protecting the local languages.  

Still, is this a cost that Norwegian publishers are willing to pay? How can the government support these endeavours if their goal is to protect the use of Norwegian language in higher education?

Debatt ● Nina Sandberg

UHR tar ansvar for norsk fagspråk

To nuance the dilemmas even more, what about foreign academics at Norwegian universities who would like their work available in Norwegian?

Most of the writing grants available in the country, such as those from Norsk faglitterær forfatter- og oversetterforening (NFFO) and Fritt Ord, only fund manuscripts delivered in Norwegian languages, a luxury that many foreign scholars cannot yet afford, despite our decent language proficiency.

How can the different institutions in the country promote fair inclusion in this regard?

Norwegian scholars who receive funding from agencies alike can buy themselves out from work duties and free their calendars for writing. If a foreigner scholar were to write a piece in Norwegian, they would likely need more time, as well as mentorship and proofreading, which is costly.  

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if Språkrådet, the Norwegian Ministry of Research, Norsk faglitterær forfatter- og oversetterforening (NFFO), and Fritt Ord would also provide funding for mentoring, translation, and proofreading of pieces written by foreign academic employees in the country?

I have devoted almost six years of my own time and funds to develop an English manuscript based on my doctoral thesis, which will soon be published as a popular science book by Oxford University Press.  

I would love for my book to be published in Norwegian, so that my students, and any other person interested on it, could read it in their native language. My challenge is not a lack of will, but rather a lack of opportunities to do so. Once, I contacted a publishing house that wondered whether I would have ca. kr. 120,000 to cover translation fees, which terrified me.

Debatt ● Gudrun Kløve Juuhl

Om verdien av forsking på norsk

Then, another publisher reached out to me after my work was featured in NRK, expressing their interest in having me as an author. As wonderful as this seemed at first, the defeat arrived soon enough when they suggested me to I ask my samboer or any of my friends to translate the book on my behalf, as they would not release translation budget if I were to receive a contract offer.

I do love my Norwegian partner and Norwegian friends, but whether they are the right people to translate my book is another story. 

I remember the publisher emphasizing that grant applications to cover translation rights are rarely granted, and mostly reserved for translating Norwegian authors into English, or already famous bestsellers into Norwegian, leaving me in limbo.

What is at stake for instances such as Språkrådet, Fritt Ord, and Forleggerforeningen, and NFFO in promoting more translations, and who is to bear the cost?

Debatt ● Ahmet Soylu

Å tale er å føle og tenke

If we are to promote the Norwegian languages in academia, we must also foster more opportunities for mentoring and translation, recognizing that multilingual skills are assets, not sins.  

We should ask ourselves what diversity, equity, and inclusion mean in practice for Norwegian universities in terms of English use. It is essential not to forget that Norway does not exist in a vacuum; there are international trends we can learn from, and a world we are part of, and that demands of science to build bridges.

Debatt ● Olga V. Lehmann

The struggle of learning a new language is real