'Student' becomes 'subject of study', 'going to a meeting' becomes 'attending a conference': Will Vietnamese become more elegant?

Once by chance, while visiting the information page of a domestic university, I came across phrases like " scientist data", "scientific works", which were actually just introductions about lecturers and academic articles.

Elsewhere, I saw "researcher" instead of "researcher", "training project" instead of "curriculum".

Formalize language to "show off"?

Those ways of calling sound more classy and formal, but they also make me pause.

Perhaps in Vietnamese today, it is not difficult to recognize a trend: We like to use words that sound "higher", "more beautiful", even though the original meaning remains the same. "Article" becomes "scientific work", "researcher" becomes "researcher", "curriculum" becomes "training project"...

These pairs of words are not wrong. But they reveal something interesting, and also worth pondering: is there a tendency to formalize language as a way of expressing social status and knowledge?

However, I still understand that there is a natural difference between everyday language and Academic language, or formal language, exists in any language.

Every field needs its own terminology to express concepts appropriately in appropriate contexts. But the problem is that when technical language is used widely out of context, it no longer helps clarify meaning but blurs the line between knowledge and form.

Linguists Edward Sapir and his student Benjamin Lee Whorf theorized that language not only reflects, but also shapes the way we see the world . In other words, we don't just speak in language, we also think in language.

If our Vietnamese language prefers to use "high" and "solemn" expressions, then that reflects some people's perspective: luxury, reputation, and position are always important measures?

We call researchers "researchers" instead of "researchers" not only to respect them, but also to make them sound appropriate. Just as we prefer to say "scientific work" to "article", "training project" to "curriculum".

These words do not simply describe a job, they suggest authority, stature, and a certain distance between the speaker and the listener.

This way of speaking not only changes the words, but also changes the way we position ourselves. It is a way of language that reflects the culture of hierarchy, where Vietnamese people are still used to judging by appearance, by "sounding fancy" rather than "telling the truth".

A report would be more appreciated if it had a lengthy title: "Proposing solutions to improve self-study capacity in the context of digital transformation of Vietnamese higher education " , instead of simply "How to help students learn better with technology" . The first sentence sounds "scientific", but sometimes it obscures the meaning.

Academicization and bureaucracy make Vietnamese lose its naturalness and distance itself from readers.

Academic and administrative language makes Vietnamese lose its naturalness and distance itself from readers.

When "student" becomes "learner", or "going to a meeting" becomes "attending a conference to deploy key tasks", we feel the gap between language and life widening.

Vietnamese, instead of being a subtle tool of expression of thought, has become a "power suit", worn to look more serious and weighty.

But as Sapir and Whorf warned, language shapes thought, and if we are accustomed to speaking only in a “superior” language, we may also begin to think as if all simple things were inferior. When language is powerful, thinking is also likely to be powerful.

Language is a mirror of culture, but also a tool to change it. Perhaps, it is time to take a look back: what is truly "high" in Vietnamese?

Is it high in the way of speaking, or in the way of thinking? An "article" can still be a "scientific work" if it brings real value, and a "researcher" still deserves respect if he works with the spirit of a "researcher".

Ultimately, language does not need to be “enhanced” to be valuable. It just needs to be used at the right time, with the right meaning, and with the right intention of the speaker. When we speak simply and honestly, Vietnamese language or culture will naturally be elevated.

Dr. PHAM HOA HIEP

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/hoc-sinh-thanh-doi-tuong-hoc-di-hop-thanh-tham-du-hoi-nghi-tieng-viet-se-sang-hon-2025101615315289.htm