Non-native English speakers face several barriers in conducting activities in sayansi. They are at disadvantages in reading papers in English, writing and proofreading manuscripts, and preparing and making oral presentations in conferences in English. With little support available at institutional and societal levels, non-native English speakers are left to overcome these disadvantages in building their careers in science. Given 95% of world population is non-native English speakers and general idadi ya watu is the source of researchers, it is imperative to address the issues faced by them in conducting scientific activities because science can ill afford to miss contributions from such large untapped pool. Use of -I-msingi tools could reduce language barriers for “Non-native English speakers” in science education and research by providing good quality translations and proofreading. Kisayansi Ulaya uses AI-based tool to provide translations of articles in over 80 languages. Translations may not be perfect but when read with original article in English, it makes comprehension and appreciation of the idea easy.
Science is perhaps most significant common “thread” that unifies human societies ridden with ideological and political fault lines. Our lives and physical systems are largely based on sayansi and technology. Its significance is beyond physical and biological dimensions. It is more than just a body of knowledge; science is a way of thinking. And we need a language to think, to access and to exchange ideas and information and to disseminate advancements in sayansi. That’s how sayansi progresses and takes humanity forward.
Kwa sababu za kihistoria, Kiingereza kiliibuka kama lingua franca kwa watu wa makabila mengi tofauti na njia ya elimu ya sayansi na utafiti katika nchi nyingi. Kuna maarifa mengi na msingi wa nyenzo katika Kiingereza kwa "watu katika sayansi" na "hadhira ya jumla yenye nia ya kisayansi". Kwa ujumla, Kiingereza kimetumika vyema katika kuunganisha watu na kueneza sayansi.
Kama mzungumzaji asiye asili ya Kiingereza kutoka mji mdogo, nakumbuka kuweka juhudi za ziada katika siku zangu za chuo katika kuelewa vitabu vya kiada vya lugha ya Kiingereza na fasihi za kisayansi. Ilinichukua miaka kadhaa ya elimu ya chuo kikuu kuwa na urahisi na Kiingereza. Kwa hivyo, kwa kuzingatia uzoefu wangu wa kibinafsi, kila wakati nilifikiria wasemaji wa Kiingereza ambao sio asilia katika sayansi lazima waweke juhudi zaidi ili kupatana na wasemaji asilia wa Kiingereza katika suala la uwezo wa kuelewa karatasi za utafiti zinazofaa na kuwasiliana kwa ufanisi kupitia hati zilizoandikwa na mawasilisho ya mdomo katika. semina na makongamano. Utafiti uliochapishwa hivi majuzi unatoa ushahidi wa kutosha kuunga mkono hili.
Katika utafiti uliochapishwa katika PLOS tarehe 18th July 2023, the authors surveyed 908 researchers in mazingira sciences to estimate and compare the amount of effort needed to conduct scientific activities in English between researchers from different countries and different linguistic and economic backgrounds. The result showed significant level of language barrier for non-native English speakers. The non-native English speakers need more time to read and write a paper. They require more efforts to proofread a manuscript. Their manuscripts are more likely to be rejected by the journals due to English writing. Further, they face major barriers in preparing and making oral presentations in seminars and conferences conducted in English. The study did not factor in mental stress, lost opportunities and cases of those who dropped out due to language barrier hence overall consequences on non-native English speakers are likely to be more severe than found by this study. In the absence of any institutional support, it is left on non-native English speakers to make extra efforts and investments to overcome the barriers and build careers in science. The study recommends provision of language-related support at institutional and societal levels to minimise the disadvantages for non-native English speakers. Given 95% of the world population is non-native English speakers and general population is the ultimate source of researcher, provision of support at institutional and societal levels is imperative. The society can ill afford to miss contributions in science from such a large untapped pool1.
Akili Bandia (AI) ni moja ya maendeleo ya kisayansi ambayo yana uwezo wa kushughulikia baadhi ya matatizo muhimu yanayokabili wazungumzaji wasio asilia wa Kiingereza kwa gharama ya chini sana. Zana nyingi za AI sasa zinapatikana kibiashara ambazo hutoa tafsiri bora za neva katika takriban lugha zote. Inawezekana pia kusahihisha hati kwa kutumia zana za AI. Hizi zinaweza kupunguza kiasi cha juhudi na gharama katika tafsiri na kusahihisha.
Kwa urahisi wa wazungumzaji na wasomaji wasio asili wa Kiingereza, Kisayansi Ulaya hutumia zana inayotegemea AI kutoa utafsiri bora wa neural wa makala katika zaidi ya lugha 80 zinazojumuisha karibu wanadamu wote. Huenda tafsiri zisiwe kamilifu lakini zinaposomwa na makala asilia katika Kiingereza, ufahamu na kuthamini wazo huwa rahisi. Kama jarida la sayansi, Scientific European inalenga kusambaza maendeleo makubwa ya sayansi na teknolojia kwa wasomaji wa jumla wenye nia ya kisayansi hasa wenye akili changa ambao wengi wao watachagua taaluma za sayansi katika siku zijazo.
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chanzo:
- Amano T., et al 2023. Gharama nyingi za kuwa mzungumzaji wa Kiingereza asiye asilia katika sayansi. PLOS. Iliyochapishwa: Julai 18, 2023. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.3002184
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