Abstract for paper “Samuel Beckett and Academic Writing: Advantages of Writing in a Second or Foreign Language.” Translation from the Norwegian. (For Norwegian-language original, see Publications list or edited volume Språkmangfold i utdanningen - refleksjon over pedagogisk praksis.)

By Daniel Lees Fryer

Writing academic texts can be challenging, particularly when writing in a second or foreign language. There are clearly many disadvantages, but are there any advantages in writing academic texts in a second or foreign language, and how might these potential advantages be utilized? In this article, I investigate these questions in light of author and playwright Samuel Beckett’s choice to write in a second language, namely French. Some of his reasons for choosing to write in French, and the consequences of this choice, may be relevant for academic writing (and the teaching of academic writing), particularly for those writing in a second or foreign language.

“Try again. Fail again. Fail better”

Samuel Beckett, Worstward Ho

 

Full citation:

Fryer, Daniel Lees. 2015. Samuel Beckett og akademisk skriving: Fordeler med å skrive på et andre- eller fremmedspråk. [Samuel Beckett and academic writing: advantages of writing in a second or foreign language.] In Språkmangfold i utdanningen - refleksjon over pedagogisk praksis. Edited by Kari Mari Jonsmoen and Marit Greek. Oslo: Gyldendal Akademisk; 97-108.

Banner image downloaded August 8, 2015, from The Mantra Trailer