A university that is lost in translation
Before you ask – no, I haven’t had my exam result yet. My guess, as I sat looking at my (unfinished) paper before they let us out, was that I had just squeaked through, so I’m expecting 51%. I’ve certainly reminded myself of the dangers of last-minute.com approaches to study (these, I can reliably inform you, stretch on into Real Life and The Workplace) so I’ll pace myself for Year 2.
Thank you to those who engaged in the discussion after my last piece. That’s sparked various thoughts so here they are…
Like one of my respondents, I too will never feel confident to walk up to a Chinese student and start to talk. The lesson learnt is not to become fluent in every language spoken on campus, but to empathise from the inside out with the ESL community who have to overcome those feelings of shyness and inadequacy to engage in ANY casual conversation outside their own language. Perhaps it’s just easier to stick in your own national group and save your English efforts for class. Perhaps that’s why the Brits complain that the international students are cliquey and don’t mix. Perhaps the answer, for both the Anglophones and the others is to realise this is a real issue for everybody and start to find ways to overcome it and make us a truly integrated, international campus. English speakers – take up a foreign language, any foreign language, and find out how it feels to be trapped by the inability to say what you want to say. International students – dare to make some English-speaking friends.
Following up some of the remarks made in the discussion thread, should we print everything in Chinese, since they are the largest international population on campus? I’d be interested to hear the view of some of the Chinese students here – please feel free to comment. Personally, I think we might well consider printing some of the more crucial literature in other languages – fire regs, security info, plagiarism and academic integrity advice – just to make sure that it has been thoroughly absorbed and everyone knows the rules of the game. Let me set against that a more controversial suggestion: what if, in an attempt to help the non-Anglophone population perfect their English skills, we adopted the rule that exists on Nottingham University’s Ningbo Campus in P.R China: ‘English only to be spoken on this campus before 8pm’?
Finally, a target. Students like targets. Here it is: by the time you leave York, have at least three good friends from other countries with other languages and other cultures. At the very least it’ll set you up with floors to sleep on as you hitch round the world waiting for the recession to end…
6 responses below. Comments are open.
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Printing academic integrity advice in foreign languages would be quite ironic – since an insufficient understanding of English can quite often be the cause of it.
“English only to be spoken on this campus before 8pm”?
I can see why it’d throw people in at the deep end as so to speak and help develop language skills, but in my opinion your use of language is one of the most effective links to your identity, and to compromise that is a dangerous move- if you can swim in the deep end then you may keep going but if you can’t you’d be forcing international students who’re less confident to stay in their rooms, counter-acting the inclusive aim of the project.
Learning another language is such a difficult task, and I really admire anyone else who can do it properly. I’m jealous because it’s something that i’d really, really have to dedicate time to to ever become efficient in. Qualification wise I have a C in A Level French- I had to work harder for that than two As in other subjects. I love listening to people talk in French, but i’m terrified that i’ll ever have to create a novel sentence in speech.
I would like to add that I am proud to be studying at a university where the PVC is making this step- it’s a very admirable achievement.
“English only to be spoken on this campus before 8pm?”
I appreciate the intention behind this, but such a measure would be sending a very negative message to international students. I, for one, would find it to be needlessly repressive.
Also, on a practical level, how could this ever be enforced? For example, would someone come up to me and tell me off for speaking Greek with a Greek friend of mine – supposedly because I ought to be improving my English?
At the end of the day, students make their own choices. Many will take advantage of the unique opportunity they’ve been presented with and try to absorb as much of a foreign culture as possible, while others will be excluding themselves, trying to live in their own miniature world for the duration of their course.
People can of course be encouraged to think about these choices, but I don’t think that any such restriction can force anyone to change their attitude.
Even though I have several friends from other cultural backgrounds and have been abroad, I still can’t speak other languages at all (apart from some words) and really regret not having good teaching at school for it. I wish I could speak something but find it too hard to think about the money needed to learn now or the time needed to get anywhere.
I also agree with Luke that it is definitely admirable for a staff member to learn another language for the purposes outlined in the comment piece!
It is a pleasant thing to have friends from afar. As kongfuzi would have us know! I have directly experienced what it is like to be in a foreign country with no grasp of their language. It is like being a child. The experience allows one to recognise _ignorance_. With this recognition in our mental toolbox, we can begin to understand the purpose of equianimity and the virtues that bloom from it.
I have learnt several languages now since I realised that ‘the doors are open’ in the Internet age. That is, the Internet can be used for ill or well like any other object. Facebook or flashcards? That is the question!
I would strongly advise the University to strengthen its international exchange credientials. Erasmus is an excellent start, but greater returns for the home students can be found by packing them off to other countries for a term or two.
George, my friend, don’t cling to the words of the rule. Take courage from its spirit. There is utility in providing a crass push for those who’re trapped by unhelpful emotions such as fear and only require the direct experience of a first step. (I agree with everything you said, but wished to outline the truths from an orthogonal view.)