Problems and possibilities arising from use of several languages (Part #1)

Originally appeared in 1973 as part of Toward a Concept Inventory, under the title "Language and translation problems". Also published in International Associations, 1974, pp. 210-212. Also in: Les Problèmes du Langage dans la Société Internationale (Compte rendu du colloque, Paris 28-29 mars 1974). Bruxelles, Union des Associations Internationales, 1975, pp 151-153

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It would be optimistic to expect wide acceptance of the system if it was based on one language only. The UNISIST Study notes (pp. 72-73) that:

• English now accounts for about 40% of the world literature, regularly yielding (as are French and German) to the rising group of "Eastern" languages, e.g. Slavic, Chinese and Japanese.
• No one can predict what the situation will be twenty or fifty years ahead, nor does anyone possess reliable data on the present use of foreign language materials in the scientific community.
• The position of English as a lingua franca of science is contested by some governments either to consolidate a new country via a national language or in the belief that language can be artificially maintained as a vehicle of a culture.

The chances of securing international acceptance of English as the standard language of science are, in present circumstances, very poor.