REFORMS for ADVANCED HIGHER EDUCATION W. H. E. BANDERMANN New York City
HE desirability of raising the requirements in of employing the three languages X, Y,Z of a trilingual foreign languages for candidates Ior higher degrees course in the hour ratio I,: 1,: I,, it may under cerhas long been openly admitted, not only by repre- tain conditions be advisable to choose a different apsentatives of the chemical profession, hut also of other portionment. For an audience largely composed of departments of pure and applied science. Unfortu- persons of English (E) mother tongue who, let us asnately, however, beyond this frank admission of long sume, have previously had a five years' training in standing, nothing has been accomplished as yet. To French (F) and a three years' training in German (G), account for this state of affairs one must realize that one should temporarily allot more time to lecturing in the present postgraduate study plans are actually filled German, and less to lecturing in F r e n c h a s far as this to capacity with indispensable professional courses. procedure is compatible with the amount of special If all these professional courses were to be retained, English, French, and German nomenclatures and vohigher lingual requirements seemed to call for a corres- cabularies to be assimilated by the students. Thus one pondingly prolonged total study period-e. g., for a may tentatively adopt an hour ratio 1,: 1,:2,; which study period prolonged by two or three years. If, on means, one hour of English, followed by one hour of the other hand, the total study period was to remain French, followed by two hours of German; then, one of unchanged length, it seemed unavoidable to reduce hour of English, one hour of French, two hours of Gerimportant professional courses drastically in time and man; and so forth, till the end of the course on photonumber to make room for comprehensive training in graphic chemistry or whatever the subject may be. If, foreign languages. Confronted with this dilemma, either simultaneously or subsequently, other postgradeducators concluded that a more thorough lingual uate courses are given in a somewhat similar hour ratio knowledge apparently could not be realized without and if, outside the class room, parallel to the course, the costly sacrifices, and so the discussion of this problem students themselves apply a suitable compensating was tacitly adjourned sine die, or a t least until a day hour ratio to the study of foreign textbooks, reference when somebody would arise claiming to have found an books, and periodicals, the deficiency in German, used here as an illustration, will rather soon be duly adjusted acceptable solution. That day has now come, and with this statement I am with respect to English and French. Obviously, there addressing myself not only to my brother chemists, but are extraordinary cases, where additional circumstances to almost the entire international world of university may influence the choice of the hour ratio. The relaprofessions. The new proposals pertain to most of the tive importance of the three languages which are used in postgraduate courses as given a t American and British a trilingual course may have to be taken into account, universities. In the future, these advanced courses particularly where one of the involved languages cauare to be taught by means of two or three of the pro- not be reckoned among those which culturally and civilfessionally important languages with about hourly al- izationally rank highest, or which are essential for a ternation, and the conventional unilingual lecturing certain course subject. Continuous intelligibility of the course, in spite of the during the postbaccalaureate years is largely to be abandoned. I, for one, should teach any of my sub- alternation of languages from lecture to lecture, can be jects, e. g., photographic chemistry, in English, French, perfectly ensured, since, a t the beginning of a lecture in and German. The first lecture of this course would be language Y,one can readily give a resume in this laupresented by means of English; the second lecture, of p a g e of a preceding lecture which has been presented in the same course, by means of French; the third lecture language X, and in this resume one may introduce the by means of German; the fourth by means of English language Y equivalents of those language X terms the again; and so on, up to the end of the course. The significance of which the students have learned already material taught in the first lecture is not to be repeated in connection with the subject of the preceding lecture. in the second or thud-nor is, as a rule, the material At other times one may prefer to give a complete tabof any lecture t o b e taken up again by meamof another ulation of trilingual terminology regardless of the original language schedule. Too strict an exclusion of the language in a subsequent lecture. Instead of allotting equal time to each of the three languages X and Y during a lecture provided for the languages of a trilingual course-that is to say, instead language Z may occasionally bring inconveniences. 2131
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Besides, one must avoid alternating the languages a t a didactically objectionable frequency. For instance, changing the language every ten hours may contravene the primary purpose of the innovation, namely, the achievement of coherent mastery of the three languages, a t least as far as the subject matter of the course is concerned. If this primary aim is not reached in an appreciable number of courses, there is no possibility of arriving a t the ultimate goal, namely a reasonable command of the three languages in all subjects pertaining to a particular profession. Still more undesirable than too low an alternation frequency, is too high an alternation frequency which strains both teacher and students, retards instruction, and gives rise to lingual corruption. Obviously, unilingual courses cannot be eliminated in their entirety "overnight." One by o n e a t most a few a t a t i m e t h e y must be replaced by multilingual courses until, after a transition period which may last two or more decades, a certain optimum limit value is reached beyond which the innovation should not be forced. First of all, the public should be painstakingly educated so as to forestall as unjustified any and all belittling of old meritorious professors who, due to natural conditions beyond their control, cannot take up lecturing by means of foreign languages as readily as the junior members of the faculty. The gradual building up of a trilingual teaching staff, therefore, will require long-range planning on the part of the leading personages of a university community. At the beginning, the faculty should search among its own members for trilingualists, since many a faculty has "Veilchen, die im Verborgenen bliihen." Next, suitable bilingual professors and intructors must be encouraged to learn to express themselves in a third language. Well supplied with such bilingual staff members are usually those nniversities which are affiliated with the Catholic Church. These institutions are represented in many countries. As to bilingualists in the British Empire, a considerable number of particularly valuable professors and instructors speaking both English and French are a t various Canadian universities. The United States, although still rather inactive in teaching languages is, nevertheless, fortunate a t present, because during the past fiftyyears, she has repeatedly attracted many qualified immigrants from various European centers of culture. These newcomers, if they were not yet practically bilingual, in the course of time have become so together with their offspring, and some of them, due to their scholastic attainments, now hold faculty positions in American higher education. Partly as a consequence of these conditions, in every larger American university a few bilingual professors and instructors can be found who, beside being authorities in their professions, speak, with a rich vocabulary, in addition to English, one of the following languages: Italian, French, Spanish, German, or Russian. The continental European universities, in general, are staffed with a number of men who are very capable linguists as a direct result of the important r81e which the study of languages plays on the European continent. With all
these teachers the reform project may be started with a great chance for ultimate success. Even before they have arrived a t complete mastery of a third language, they should be induced to give bilingual courses, in consideration of the fact that two bilingual teachers, one alternatingly using, e. g., English and French, the other alternatingly using, e. g., English and German, may eventually produce a fair offspring of trilingualists, even if the courses of these two teachers are somewhat divergent in subject. Supplementarily, a selection of professors from foreign universities, be they even unilingual should be invited to a postgraduate university to teach in their native foreign tongues, so that their courses may contribute to creating a thoroughly trilingual generation of university men and women. As a rule, every postgraduate course should be made a t least bilingual, unless its purpose or subject matter disallows such a change. Needless to say, I should be pleased if universities a t which this multilingual instruction is to be tested would write to me in care of the editor of THISJOURNAL. As approximate prerequisite for admission of students to bilingual and trilingual courses, one may consider a study, a t a leading American or British college, of three years with six hours' weekly instruction and with the usual additional home work in each of the foreign languages involved, or any equivalent preparation. This standardshould not be considered as rigid for a number of obvious reasons. To induce a satisfactory enrolment for the new postgraduate courses, it may be necessary to launch an educational campaign informing the students and the public about the scope of trilingual instruction. Up to the present, during all the years between the baccalaureate and the doctorate, the students have not had any opportunity worth mentioning to apply themselves to languages, because every hour was taken up by indispensable professional courses. Conceivably, during this period, whatever smattering of foreign languages had been acquired in college days, was soon forgotten. Under the new plan, however, all this time can now be amply utilized for lingual perfection, without there being any necessity for giving up a single course of the originally scheduled professional training. Obviously, there is no basis for fear that under a competent professor, properly prepared students would not learn as much professional matter from trilingual lectures as from unilingual ones. Moreover, by permitting the raising of the language requirements for advanced degrees very considerably, the reforms will automatically assure, more strictly than ever before, not only the exclusiveness and the prestige of higher academic certifications, but also the supreme social standing of the university professor and his work, throughout the civilized world. Experience has shown that it is quite possible for a scientific authority to acquire a command of more than three languages. One of the most significant examples of our time is the celebrated Dutch physicist, Hendrik Antoon Lorentz (1853-1928), who lectured extensively
in various European countries and also in the United States and showed himself just as proficient in French, English, and German as in Dutch, his mother tongue. Nevertheless, quadrilingual courses, in which four languages alternate from hour to hour, are easily seen to involve difficulties which may be outweighed only by the cogency of special circumstances--e. g., in a country where the natives speak a language other than English, French, or German. Since the number of such countries is considerable, quadrilingual courses may not be rare in the future, unless in most of these countries the official tongues are dispensed with, as far as advanced higher education is concerned, in favor of trilingual English-French-German courses. Furthermore, the qualitatively and quantitatively fast-advancing scientific literature of Russian language is about to make itself felt as an additional complicating factor. It is generally conceded a t present that the Russian language has good prospects to conquer a place, on an equality basis, beside English, French, and German, thus raising the number of the scientifically dominant languages to four. It is of relatively little interest, however, whether in future we shall have three or four scientifically dominant languages, because in the course of decades the numerous subordinate languages, too, will accumulate voluminous records of valuable scientific work. These priceless fles will be adequately appreciated, provided there will then exist a comparatively greater number of scientists who are trilingual than there exists today. The greater the number of such trilingualists, the greater will also be the clamor for putting an end to the bewildering lingual heterogeneity handicapping science. Finally, as an immediate consequence of trilingual higher education, the world's leading scientists, conscious of their mission to he creators and protecfors of all culture and civilization, will indubitably adopt one simple artificial language for use among themselves, and leave the continnation of their national languages to their lay compatriots. In this way a comprehensive anastomosis of all scientific resources would be realized, lingually scientists would have almost ideal working conditions, and everywhere progress would be speeded up. I dare say that a standard scientific language can hardly he attained, unless via bilingual and trilingual instruction in almost every phase of advanced higher education. So long as scientists are not distinctly bilingual and trilingual, they will be unable to see, and to appraise, the vast scientific treasures lying outside the boundary of the mother tongue. Once this hitherto hidden wealth is generally appreciated through a multiplicity of languages, one simple scientific standard language will soon be agreed upon. This scientific language may subsequently be used by non-scientists for all kinds of international transactions. There is, however, another more immediate use for trilingualists. As professional leaders, distributed all over the world, they could do much to bring about, and to maintain, international peace and good will. Belgium with its dual popnlation of Flemings and
Walloons is noted for having universities a t which Qome courses are presented exclusively by means of the Flemish (Dutch) tongue* to serve the Flemings, whereas other courses, sometimes of perfectly identical content, employ solely French as medium of instruction in order to satisfy the Walloons, too. In some universities of South Africa there are likewise two lingually different series of courses--courses taught by means of African Dutch for the Boers, and courses making use of the English language for the British colonists. Another interesting example is the University of Frihourg in Switzerland a t which some professors use only French, and other professors use only German, as a medium of instruction, whereas still others who are completely bilingual give one course by means of the French tongue and an additional course by means of the German tongue. It is noteworthy that, a t this university, every member of the department of chemistry gives courses not only by means of French, but also by means of German. Though these institutions of Belgium, South Africa and Switzerland are termed bilingual universities, one and the same course a t any of these universities has always been unilingual throughout, up to the present time. Similar conditions prevail, particularly in primary and secondary schools, in a great many parts of the world. Malta is rather unique in that its school system is trilingual, hut here, too, every course is strictly unilingual, either Arabian, or Italian, or English. Without exception, bilingual and trilingual educational institutions, up to the present time, are politically motivated and serve two or three lingually unlike, separatistically inspired, groups of a country's population. It is necessary, therefore, that the old bilingual and trilingual institutions with unilingual courses be differentiated from the new multilingual institutions with bilingual and trilingual courses of the kind suggested for the first time in this paper. To some critical friends of mine I am indebted for the reminder that a good teacher, of chemistry for instance, is not necessarily the one who masters three languages beside his teaching subject. In answer to this, one must concede that this is reasonably true for secondary and college education, but not so for postgraduate education with which the reforms are concerned. It is, or rather should be, an incongruity to speak of a leading university teacher in chemistry, and not to associate with this concept an extensive knowledge of languages. As a matter of fact, the more proficient a science teacher is in foreign languages, the greater is this teacher's ability and ambition to vie with scientists totius orbis terrarum; the greater is, specifically, this teacher's ability and ambition to pursue independent research of unquestionable priority and to inspire the postgraduates to a career comparable to that of the teacher. To emphasize--a research reputation acquired in intellectual competition not only with the few domestic author-
*The university textbooks are mostly in Dutch, but the language of instruction is mostly Flemish. The differences between Flemish and Dutch are extremely few, otherwise these two languages are identical.
ities, hut also with the numerous foreign ones as well is the outstanding characteristic of a teacher into whose trust one may unhesitatingly give candidates for the higher degrees. A teacher of scientific greatness who through fluent speech before the students can demonstrate eminent foreign language qualifications is irresistibly accepted by the students as an example which continually prevails upon them to apply all available time and energy to learning languages, so that in the end these students are capable of making ready and exhaustive use of the foreign scientific literature. In fact, i t is high time that languages be recognized as indispensable tools for the refinement of higher chemical education specifically, and for the refinement of most postgraduate education generically. There is no country, indeed, in which it has not yet happened often enough that, due to ignorance in languages and due to lack of respect for the foreign scientific literature, expensive chemical investigations, either purely explorative through presumedly uncharted grounds, or in connection with presumedly new discoveries and inventions, have been stripped, after publication, of their originality nimbus by foreign chemists who proved that these investigations represented useless repetitions of the work done elsewhere years or decades before. Here it seems that a more thorough lingual training is destined to rationalize scientific endeavors. Consequently, one must stand by the demand that in the future a teacher for postgraduates should not only master the teaching subject as in the past, but should also have the ability of speaking and writing in the two or three languages particularly important for the teacher's sphere of professional activity. Highest lingual standards and highest professional standards must be regarded as inseparable essentials of a great teacher for postgraduates. The last conclusion makes i t almost supertluous to discuss the contention of certain circles that a "reading knowledge" of foreign languages, as obtained through a few undergraduate courses suffices for chemists of higher degrees and for most other university professions. In reply, one may state that the reading knowledge requirement is nothing else but the old artless compromise with those seemingly incompatible factors which were mentioned a t the outset of this paper. Now that a satisfactory solution has been found for extending the lingual background of postgraduates, the reading knowl-
edge requirement, time-honored as it has become in the course of many decades in spite of its obvious shortcomings, should be abandoned as incongruous with higher certifications. With the reforms gradually put into effect, personal conferences with foreign scientists will become more productive and, therefore, more frequent-so will international congresses as well as lecture and study tours to the world's cultural centersall the more so because the means of travel have been greatly improved of late, and because the oral discussion, combined with demonstration and exhibition, is not only indispensable as a supplementaty method for arriving a t scientific truth, but is also sometimes more efficacious, and psychologically more influential and enjoyable than the customary written or printed controversy. In concluding, I wish to call attention once more to the fact that although I have spoken in this paper mostly of conditions relating to advanced chemical education, my statem2nts are analogously applicable to almost all postbaccalaureate teaching subjects. I cannot abstain from reiterating my expectation that the new bilingual and trilingual courses will be found to represent the quintessence of effectual postgraduate instruction. It is also reasonable to deduce that the multilingual postgraduate education will ultimately work for the apotheosis of peace and for the adoption of one simple artificial international language. In view of these circumstances one seems justified to presume that the introduction of such reforms will mark a new era in the history of education-an era characterized by a world-wide revitalization of culture and civilization.*
* Instead of using the terns of Latin derivation seen throughout this paper, one may just as well use the equivalents of Greek onpm. As most of these Latin and Greek terms are not contained in dictionaries, they are tabulated here below: unilingual nnilingnalism unilingualist bilingual bilingualism bilingualist trilingualist trilingual trilingualism quadrilingual quadrilingualism quadrilingualist multilingual multilingualism multilingualist monoglot monoglottism monoglottist or monoglot) diglot diglottism diglottist tor diglot) (or triglot) triglottist triglot triglottism (or tetraglot) tetraglottist tetraglot tetraglottism polyglot polyglottism polyglottist (or polyglot) Nola bene: Terms as lingual, lingualist, bilingual, bilingualist, and so forth, pertain to the application of languages, whereas linguistic, linguist, bilinguistic, bilinguist, and so forth, refer to the science of languages.
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