Wow, what a long thread. I wonder how much of your concern is about the translation and how much about how knowledge is ‘generated’ or shared. One of the challenges many of our international students face is not simply that of language, but also in understanding western thought (the way we structure arguments and ideas). Does that lead to what you feel as ‘awkward’ Arabic? Because it is an idea that was formed using English, the way in which the ideas are formed and communicated may not align well with knowledge in Arabic? As an English speaker I feel that I miss out on really appreciating the different ways people think and form knowledge.