Domain loss of a language and its short- and long-term consequences

Buchbeitrag

Moderm European Science and culture evolved in the process of emancipation of various national languages from medieval Latin. At present, this development from monolingualism to multilingualism seems to be reversed in several scientific disciplines and in higher education. The former linguistic diversity turns gradually into a modern monolingualism of scientific English, especially in the natural and some social sciences. A short-term consequence is that researchers and Professors with other first languages need extra time and sometimes money to prepare their publications and lectures in English. Long-term consequences are, among others, that all languages exept English are devaluated as media of science and learning and, thus, a diglossia might develop if only English be used for the important domains and other languages be limited to the domains of private communication and folklore. The way out can only be through a cultivation of at least bilingualism of researchers, Professors, and their students in the natural sciences and trilingualism in social sciences and the humanities.

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

Classification and Topics

• Subject: Nationalsprache ; Mehrsprachigkeit ; Einsprachigkeit ; Hochschulbildung ; Sprache

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Stickel, Gerhard
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): Ljubljana : Založba ZRC
• (when): 2016-12-14

Further information

• URN: urn:nbn:de:bsz:mh39-57160
• Last update: 06.03.2025, 9:00 AM CET