The seminar was led by information and communication technology (ICT) specialists in language use and drew on recent research into actual uses of language in particular for international purposes. The types of language commonly used for IT-mediated transactions were looked at in some detail, and an attempt was made to assess the implications of changes in international communication. The seminar also addressed the issue of whether the increased capability for communication made available by ICT is in effect being achieved, or whether the need for a common language of communication is disadvantaging any specific groups.

2. Aims

• Look at languages commonly used for IT-mediated communication
• Examine potential changes in language use in the future
• Review the implications of increasing use of IT on foreign language and English language education and training
• Assess the effects of 'global languages' on access to ICT by different types of users (e.g. rural communities, women)

3. Speakers and Moderator

The workshop was moderated by Tony Crocker, English Language and Examinations Manager, British Council Malaysia.

Key note addresses were delivered by David Graddol, from the Open University and author of The Future of English, Professor Venkatesh Hariharan from the Indian Institute of Information Technology and Don de Silva from the Black Information Link of The 1990 Trust in the UK.

Responses to these were made by Yuri Hohlov, Russian Information Society Institute and Professor Iskandar Alisyahbana from the Institute of Technology Bandung (ITB), Indonesia.

4. Summary of main presentations

David Graddol: New information and communication technologies reinforce traditional patterns of old inequalities, and the question of language plays a key role in these processes. However, the Internet represents a democratising, subversive force: more and more languages other than English, and more varieties of English make their appearance on the Internet. Modern language technologies are breaking the 'tyranny' of English, and the increasing use of ICT for more local and social, rather than international, communication also encourages a wider variety of languages coming in use besides English.

Don de Silva (full text of presentation): Issues of language, accessibility and participation will determine world growth and the development of IT and information societies. Bringing ICT to the disadvantaged is just as relevant to socially excluded groups in the rich world as it is to countries in development. ICT offers new opportunities for disadvantaged groups, but the issue of language in access and participation is part of a common set of problems, such as low use of PCs, Internet and email, poor perception of ICT needs of disadvantaged communities. Language specific issues are for example computer key-boards based on English letters, software programmes using English instructions, while English more often than not being the second language. Non-English speakers often face multiple discrimination and barriers to accessing services and information, the most obvious being the language barrier, but also user constraints such as fear of IT, and also the lack of information that meets the needs of non-English speakers. Cost is a major factor which deters language access, but the use of open source operating systems and software, such as LINUX, can lead to significant savings.

Professor Venkatesh Hariharan: Despite India's booming software exports industry, the country has been very poor at using IT for its own economic development. One of the greatest hurdles in this regard has been the issue of languages and computing. With 18 official languages, India's colonial legacy of the English language is both a blessing and a bane. The English language has facilitated India's software exports, but the lack of Indian language software applications and Internet content in Indian languages has seriously hampered the growth of the domestic market.

5. Issues for discussion

The following points were made in the discussion:

• the issue of the spoken language (traditions orales) on the Internet has not been broached in any depth
• women must be part of the process of producing new tools and content. This can be achieved through mentoring and by actively encouraging women to contribute to the production of content
• relevant content comes from grass-root groups, who should be provided with the necessary tools
• knowledge must satisfy local needs; only then will it make sense to provide and promote free and easy access
• the dominance of English has a detrimental effect on knowledge sharing
• training and educational programmes are mostly traditional and require radical revision and re-thinking; in particular bi-lingual education at as early an age as possible is highly important
• action is required to set up ICT centres (such as Portacabins), powered by solar energy in remote areas
• e-commerce presents a chance for countries in development to market their products
• the principle of the clock-work radio should be applied to computers
• costs of communications (such as unused satellite band-width) and hardware (e.g. US$10 for a card computer or key board) are falling. These, together with LINUX, increases the affordability rate by countries in development
• the question of the cost of creating a web site in different languages must be seen against increased access and participation. The dominance of English prevents the equity of access
• it is important to 'liberate' software, to provide free source code and free sharing / modifying / improving and copying of such software the free and open software LINUX is a product by young people and represents their approach
• LINUX software costs one third of traditional software and according to unofficial estimates 37 percent of computer sales in the West are now based on LINUX
• current IPR threatens to widen the disparity between the knowledge haves and have-nots

6. Recommendations

The interest in the workshop which attracted some seventy participants and saw a lively discussion is a testimony to the importance of the issues. The moderator summarised the following main recommendations:

• the Internet community should work towards content being available in a cluster of dominant world languages, such as for example the six official United Nation languages
• the Global Knowledge Partnership should acknowledge the importance of the issues surrounding the diversity of languages on the Internet by holding the GK conferences not just in English
• the Global Knowledge Partnership should bring these issues to the awareness of the bodies / institutions who can influence the language diversity of the Internet
• the attitude of important bodies such as the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), World Trade Organisation (WTO), UN towards the importance of language diversity on the Internet should be clarified and if necessary changed
• each country must be responsible for its representation on the Internet
• the content must be useful and relevant to the needs of the citizens of this country
• the existing body of knowledge must be opened for the benefit of all by removing existing barriers such as an outdated patent or IPR system.

This report has been prepared by Monika Segbert, Workshop Rapporteur.
The views expressed in it do not necessarily reflect those of the British Council.