This paper is a reflective critique of practice within the field of mathematics education in relation to the challenges faced by non-first-language-English speaking academics when they attempt to publish in English language research outlets. Data for this study are drawn from communications between a German and an Australian academic as the Australian assisted the German in negotiating aspects of translation bound by syntactic, semiotic, cultural, and colloquial language considerations. The paper concludes by raising questions about the issue of the use of English as a universal language for the dissemination of new knowledge and offers possible solutions to the problem.