Ibérica (Mar 2014)
Discourses of knowledge: cultural disjunctions and their implications for the language industries
Abstract
Today, English Academic Discourse (EAD) is the hegemonic vehicle of knowledge in the modern world, and researchers from all language backgrounds are under a great deal of pressure to publish in it. However, there exist other academic discourses in Europe that are based upon quite different epistemological paradigms and which are being increasingly eclipsed with the expansion of English in academic and research settings. This paper examines some of the cultural disjunctions that manifest themselves when the Anglo-Saxon academic model comes into contact with different knowledge traditions, and looks at the various language industries that have sprung up to help bridge the gap. The paper ends with a brief discussion of the ideological implications of the expansion of English as a lingua franca for the communication of knowledge.
