Today we celebrate the European Day of Languages, 26 September. This day has been jointly organised by the Council of Europe and the European Commission, since 2001, confirming the existence of many languages in a plural Europe.
The aim is multiple!
- raise awareness of the wide variety of languages in Europe
- promote cultural heritage & linguistic diversity
- encourage people of all ages to learn languages
- promote translation, interpretation, other language-related professions.
Academic globalization and internationalization of scientific knowledge force universities to navigate between two forces: global competitiveness and innovation on the one hand, and local attractiveness and diversity on the other hand (Yanaprasart, 2020), creating a conflict between internationalization and contextualization (Gajo et al., 2020). What do universities do to deal with this dilemma? How to tackle the plurality without endangering linguistic heritage?
Amongst the several multilingual practices we witness in Euskampus-Bordeaux community with a linguistically diverse working environment we sometimes observe how different languages are used in the cross-borders area. We have witnessed a flexible interaction where most often three languages are used, all local languages. Academic mobility and the increasing need to integrate international research teams have made plurilingualism a reality (Melo-Pfeifer, 2020), and efforts should be made to maintain that rainbow of languages.
The participants offer the message in the language of their choice and receptive multilingualism takes place where they answer in an alternative language. This proves the fact that there is some basic comprehension of languages but also difficulty to utter answers in the same language so the participants choose to answer in their native language but accept being addressed in other of the three local languages.
Moreover, the multilinguals offer improvised translations when there is a gap in understanding proving that it is possible to witness a diverse multilingual reality without opting always for English as a lingua franca. This leads us to think that language should be understood as a communication tool as well a construction tool (Gajo et al., 2020) and realize that sometimes it is possible to leave a window open for spontaneous interaction in multiple languages when the genuine aim of the individual is to make oneself understood.
They express themselves in their respective identities and cooperate in pursuit of the good understanding of the group, producing good results of social harmony accepting their other languages. Language anxiety is diminished due to the freedom they experience offering their message in their language of choice and accepting the others’ exchange in their respective languages.
The activity is carried out in a friendly, even amusing tone, making jokes about the multicolor palette of languages and cultures. They even claim to maintain all the identities when producing the final deliverable to the rest of the groups. Moreover, using a lingua franca that is different from one’s own language may lead to a lack of emotional involvement (Lüdi, 2015). How much of our emotions is lost when using a L2, or L3? Is it always necessary to miss that important part of the communication process? Is not emotion a vital issue in social interaction?
We would like to show how a multilingual working environment could be possible in cross-border collaborations, as an alternative to one-language-only policies. Furthermore, in some specific cases, the use of a minority language as Basque reaffirms its place within a wider context in relation with two majority languages as Spanish and French, as well as in competition with a lingua franca as English. Lüdi (2015: 213) underlines that ‘the respect for linguistic diversity is, therefore, a conditio sine qua non for meeting the increasing challenges of the world’s superdiversity’.
The multilingual identity of the group is constructed, opening doors for tolerance towards multilingual practices and multiculturalism, enabling individuals to express their identities without invading the others’ identities (Etxebarria, 2018). However, of course, plurilanguaging also shows another side of the coin with certain disadvantages, such as the use of a multilingual approach giving rise to communication problems, possibly slowing down working processes (Lüdi, 2015). And this is where our effort should be highlighted, that is, conscious as we are of the impact in cost, time consuming and language conflict, we are certain that the effort is worth it.
This is just an example of how linguistic diversity can be approached and managed in a successful way, but there are surely others to identify and try. Research should go on in pursuit of a plural Europe where all their languages coexist in a friendly way.
To celebrate the European Day of Languages, the European Commission is organizing two virtual conferences - on 26 September.
Check out what is happening in your country!
Text adapted from research results carried out and soon to be published by Karin van der Worp and Itxaso Etxebarria Lekanda.
This post will be shortly published in 4 languages.
REFERENCES
- Etxebarria Lekanda, I. (2018) Multilingual and Multicultural University-Work Environment: Focus on New Aquitaine and the Basque Country. Retrieved from: https://euskampus.eus/es/blog/multilingual-and-multicultural-university-work-environment-focus-on-new-aquitaine-and-the-basque-country (date of access 21/04/2023)
- Gajo L. and Berthoud A.C. (2020) Issues of multilingualism for scientific knowledge: Practices for assessing research projects in terms of linguistic diversity. European Journal of Higher Education 10 (3), 294–307. DOI: 10.1080/21568235.2020.1777451
- Lüdi, G. (2015) Monolingualism and multilingualism in the construction and dissemination of scientific knowledge. The Multilingual Challenge. Interdisciplinary Perspectives, 213–238.
- Melo-Pfeifer, S. (2020) Is it just ‘black’ or ‘white’? Multilingual collaborative research seen through the practices of an international research team. European Journal of Higher Education 10 (3), 308–324. DOI: 10.1080/21568235.2020.1777447
Gaiari buruzko albisteak
HARPIDETU NEWSKAMPUS-EAN
eta gure azken berriak posta elektronikoz jasoko dituzu