Scientific Publication for Nonnative English Speakers: A Retrospective of a Workshop in Brazil

Abstract

While English is the language of science, for many scientists it is a foreign language. Such is the case in South America, where Portuguese and Spanish are spoken. In this commentary, the author shares the experience of presenting a workshop on “English-Language Publication for Nonnative English Speakers,” at a scientific conference in Brazil. Issues of translation and “lost science” are addressed. For the author, this experience raised awareness of the challenges nonnative English scholars have in disseminating their science to an English-language market. Recommendations are offered, with the hopes of building bridges to connect the lingua franca and the non–English-speaking worlds.