Common language limitations among experts

The use of English as the common language of science represents a major impediment to maximising the contribution of non-native English speakers to science. Yet few studies have quantified the consequences of language barriers on the career development of researchers who are non-native English speakers. By surveying 908 researchers in environmental sciences, this study estimates and compares the amount of effort required to conduct scientific activities in English between researchers from different countries and, thus, different linguistic and economic backgrounds. Our survey demonstrates that non-native English speakers, especially early in their careers, spend more effort than native English speakers in conducting scientific activities, from reading and writing papers and preparing presentations in English, to disseminating research in multiple languages. Language barriers can also cause them not to attend, or give oral presentations at, international conferences conducted in English. We urge scientific communities to recognise and tackle these disadvantages to release the untapped potential of non-native English speakers in science. This study also proposes potential solutions that can be implemented today by individuals, institutions, journals, funders, and conferences. SourceAmano T, Ramírez-Castañeda V, Berdejo-Espinola V, Borokini I, Chowdhury S, Golivets M, et al. (2023) The manifold costs of being a non-native English speaker in science. PLoS Biol 21(7): e3002184. doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.3002184

In a video about my decade of research, a male commenter said "Okay but how did you do this? Because it just seems like conjecture." I replied with my psychometric validation plan for test design. He didn't reply. Why didn't I start with the psychometrics? Because that's my expert jargon, and my mission is making work accessible, not "sounding smart." What's ironic, is many are easily swayed to think expertise is any kind of jargon. It's not. Type 1: Expert jargon - highly specific language for niche expertise. Think engineering terms, medical terminology, or psychometric language that even other psychologists might not understand. Type 2: Word salad - broad, meaningless buzzwords designed to sound impressive but say nothing. Lots of people use word salad thinking it makes them sound smart. And it has mixed results. Some people - especially if that person has power - buy into it completely. But neurodivergent people and many from working-class backgrounds? We're like "Yeah, you don't know what you're talking about." It undermines their trust in their leadership. Here's the deeper issue my story reveals: WHO gets considered "smart" when using jargon depends on bias, not expertise. On social media, I've noticed mostly women creators get challenged on our expertise. And it's not just me, I've noticed this across profiles. When I speak clearly about research, I get challenged as "conjecture." But people assumed to have power use meaningless buzzwords get nodded at respectfully. The same word salad that makes a woman seem like she's "compensating" makes a man seem "strategic." Expert Jargon isn't necessarily great. You can forget your audience. If you're brilliant but can't communicate clearly, your ideas won't get implemented. The danger comes when organizations use complex jargon to hide bad behavior. I give examples in my free book chapter of companies that used expert-sounding language to confuse and exploit customers worldwide. One company had genuinely smart people whose ideas never got heard because they couldn't translate their expertise. Another deliberately used confusing language as a weapon against their customers. Same jargon, completely different intentions. The unwritten rule? In many workplaces, sounding smart matters more than being clear. But clarity builds trust, while word salad builds walls. If you can't explain your idea simply, you either don't understand it well enough, or you're trying to hide something. Which type of jargon dominates your workplace? Expert communication or performative confusion? Check out my free book chapter on my website to see how companies weaponize language - and how to cut through the noise. #communication #jargon #unwrittenrules #workplacecommunication #leadership #accessibility

Over the past 3 years, I’ve coached over 4000 professionals, from first-year college students to CXOs at Fortune 500 companies And here’s a statement that still breaks my heart to hear: “I know my work. But I feel small the moment I have to speak in English.” You know, it’s one of the top 3 limiting beliefs I see across clients, regardless of age, industry, or experience. And the worst part is that most people genuinely believe that fluency in English is the main sign of confidence. Let’s bust this myth once and for all: 👉 English is just a language It is not a measurement of intelligence, capability, or leadership 👉 Confidence is contextual You can be deeply confident in your ideas, Yet hesitant in expressing them if the language isn’t native to you 👉 The brain doesn’t freeze because of a lack of knowledge It freezes because of fear of judgment, of being misinterpreted, Or worse: being underestimated A recent study by LinkedIn and the Soft Skills Council showed that 71% of Indian professionals feel nervous speaking English in meetings, even when they are experts on the topic. That’s not a communication issue. That’s a conditioning issue. 👉 We’ve equated English with professionalism 👉 We’ve mistaken an accent for authority 👉 We’ve let amazing talent go unheard (Simply because they paused to find the right word) Let me be honest here: Even I, as a communication coach, have felt the pressure of “sounding fluent” or “using better words.” But with time, I’ve realized that, The most powerful communicators don’t use big words. They use true words with empathy, clarity, and conviction. 📌So here’s what I tell every client who says, “I can’t speak well because my English isn’t good enough”: “Fluency is a skill. Confidence is a choice. Build both, but don’t mistake one for the other.” And if you’re reading this and still feel nervous about speaking up Remember, Your voice matters. Your story matters. And I promise, you don’t need flawless English to make an unforgettable impact. Let’s raise a generation that listens to meaning, not just language. P.S. What’s one thing you believed about confidence that turned out to be false? #SoftSkillsCoach #LeadershipGrowth #CommunicationMatters #LanguageBias #SpeakWithImpact #ConfidenceCoach #FluencyVsConfidence #HumanSkillsMatter