"Chung Yang Yen Chiu Yuan" (中央研究院) is the National Academy of Taiwan

中央研究院的外文名稱 Academia Sinica，本意是中國學院或研究院，常被誤解為中華人民共和國的機構，困擾本院同仁已久。很高興院方為調整英文名稱進行研討，並請同仁提出建議。本院自由學社同仁經過商議，建議本院英文名稱調整為 National Academy of Taiwan（或 National Academy Taiwan），並申述理由數點如下。

The name of our organization, "Chung Yang Yen Chiu Yuan" (中央研究院), in Western languages has been "Academia Sinica," a term in Latin that means "Chinese academy." It is often confused with the Chinese Academy of Sciences in the People's Republic of China, and had bothered colleagues for a long time. We are glad to see that the administration of the organization has begun the deliberation on the adjustment of this name and invited colleagues for proposals. Members of the Liberty Society, a faculty organization in this organization, have resolved, after extensive discussion, that "National Academy of Taiwan" is the best alternative. This proposal also finds support among academicians. The reasons for our proposal are as follows:

1. 稱為 National Academy 的機構幾乎各國都有，並且是代表國家的最高學術單位。大家最熟悉的是美國的 National Academy of Sciences（以及 National Academy of Medicine，National Academy of Engineering 等）。在一般的報導或討論中，Académie Française，The British Academy，日本的學士院（The Japan Academy）等機構，也常被稱為法國或英國、日本的 National Academy。

 1. There are institutions known as national academies in almost every country, and they are always the most prestigious institutions of the corresponding countries. The best known is the National Academy of Sciences (also National Academy of Medicine, and National Academy of Engineering) of the United States. Reports or discussions on the Académie Française, the British Academy, or the Japan Academy, often refer to it as the national academy of France (Britain, or Japan).

2. 名稱中 National 一字，說明本院是國家級研究機構，並非地方機構，也非私人機構。台灣雖然藍綠對立嚴重。但是堅持國名為中華民國的人士，並不否認中華民國是一國家，當然也不否認中研院是國家級的研究單位。

2. The "national" in the proposed name states that it is a public institution supported by the national government, thus not a local or private institution. Though Taiwan is a divided society, even those who insist on the Republic of China as the name of the country do not, and cannot, deny that this organization is a national institution of the country.

3. 名稱裡的 Taiwan 是為了和對岸的中華人民共和國（國際上認定的中國）區分。就如院方注意到的，目前國外不少研究單位，在和本院通訊或簽約時，就主動在現有名稱後加上 Taiwan 兩字，以便和中國科學院區別。幾年前日本的駐台代表處改名為日本台灣交流協會、立陶宛等國將我國辦事處定名為台灣辦事處等，都反應了這個識別的國際趨勢，不能狹義解釋為去中國化。

3. The Taiwan in the name serves to distinguish it from institutions of the People's Republic (the China that is internationally recognized). Just as the administration of this institution has noted, many foreign academic institutions have added, on their own initiatives, Taiwan to the end of Academia Sinica in their communications or agreements with this institution, so as to highlight the distinction between it from the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing. Likewise, a few years Japan's representative office in Taiwan changed its name to the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association from the very vague "Interchange Association." Just recently, Lithuania accepted Taiwan's diplomatic office as "Taiwanese Representative Office" in Lithuania. All these reflect the international trend to distinguish Taiwan from China. Therefore the proposed alternative cannot be interpreted simply as de-sinicization.

目前院方的研議小組委員會「試擬」了幾個名稱。我們簡短評論如下：

The committee that the administration formed to deliberate the name adjustment has come up with a few postulates. Let us comment on them.

1. 原來的 Academia Sinica，是目前問題的根源，自然不宜。

1. The first postulate, Academia Sinica, is the current name and the source of confusion, thus inadequate.

2. 研議小組似乎覺得 Academia Sinica, Taiwan（或 Academia Sinica Taiwan）優點最多。不過這個名稱有兩個根本的問題。第一，此名稱意味是在台的中國研究院，並不符合事實。第二，中國政府如果在澳門設立 Academia Sinica Macau，或者在浙江或上海等地廣設 Academia Sinica Zhejiang (or Shanghai)，不僅馬上造成混淆的效果，而且將本院降格成中國的地方研究單位。

2. The committee seems to think that Academia Sinica, Taiwan (or Academia Sincia Taiwan) has the most advantages. But there are two fundamental problems with it. First, this name means Chinese Academy in Taiwan, which is not the case. Second, China can easily open or rename institutions in Macau, Zhejiang, or Shanghai as Academia Sinica, Macau (Zhejiang, or Shanghai), to create confusion and in effect downgrade our institution to a local organization of China.

3. 有同仁贊成 Taiwanese Academy of Sciences（或 Taiwan Academy of Sciences 或 Academy of Sciences Taiwan）這個名稱。考量本院雖有自然科學，但也有人文研究。Sciences（或科學）在英文（及中文）語境都「不」包含人文。以本院的性質，至少要稱作 Academy of Arts and Sciences（或 Academy of Letters and Sciences）才合宜。但與其名稱拉長，不如就縮短成 National Academy，既不排除任何學科，也和目前的中文名稱（中央研究院）一樣，不偏指自然科學。

3. A postulate that some colleagues like is "Taiwanese Academy of Sciences" (or Taiwan Academy of Sciences or Academy of Sciences Taiwan). If we consider that our institution includes research in the humanities, and that the term "science" (科學) means natural science and not the humanities, it can only be appropriate to name this institution Academy of Arts and Sciences (or Academy of Letters and Sciences). However, instead of lengthening the name, it would better to shorten it as National Academy. The shorter form does not rule out any academic discipline and, just like the current name in Chinese (中央研究院) it does not refer to natural sciences alone.

4. 院方提案中還有中央研究院的直譯 Central Research Academy。目前國際上只有極權或共產國家，才會把 Central 當作是機構名稱的一部分，以凸顯其位階。此譯名不利我國作為民主國家的國際形象。

4. The committee also postulates the literal translation of the Chinese name, which is Central Research Academy. Internationally speaking, only communist or authoritarian countries like to use the term "central" to refer to important organizations. As Taiwan has democratized, it would harm this institution's (and country's) image to name it a Central Academy.

我們了解改名不易，也了解相應的調適必然產生，所以願意和院方及同仁做更進一步的討論。但是我們要指出，國際上重要學術機構與大型企業改名的前例比比皆是。德國的 Max Planck Society 就是由 Kaiser Wilhelm Gesellschaft 改名而來，法國的巴黎大學也曾在 1970 年拆分成十三個大學，並各有不同的名稱。近年來又有個別的校園合併，又再次更改名稱。（企業改名可參考 https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/08/10/10-of-the-biggest-company-name-changes-in-history/ 。）改名並不影響這些機構的重要性及已簽署合約的有效性，更何況本院的本名中央研究院並沒有變動。調整本院英文名稱有重要的意義，不必為了調整名稱造成的枝節，而裹足不前。

We understand that a name change is not easy and that adjustments will ensue. We therefore will be willing to work with the administration and colleagues on this issue. Still we want to stress that name changes of academic institutions and corporations not unprecedented. The Kaiser Wilhelm Gesellschaft of Germany was renamed Max Planck Society after World War II. The University of Paris was divided in 1970 into thirteen universities that each was given its own name. In recent years some of these campuses were remerged and acquired different names yet again. Incidents of corporation name changes are not unusual, either (see, e.g.  https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2015/08/10/10-of-the-biggest-company-name-changes-in-history/ ). Name changes do not lessen the importance of these institutions and do not affect the validity of the agreements and contracts that they have signed—after all the name of our organization in Chinese does not change at all. The adjustment of this organization's name in Western languages, significant as described above, should not be shelved for technical reasons.

本院就是台灣的國家研究院，英文稱作 National Academy of Taiwan，簡單而自然。

This organization is Taiwan's national academy. It is easy and natural to name it National Academy of Taiwan.

發起：中央研究院研究人員社團「自由學社」。

This letter was approved by the Liberty Society after collective discussions. This society was composed of about 80 faculty members of Chung Yang Yen Chiu Yuan (中央研究院).

歡迎院內同仁不分職級連署，請填寫下表。謝謝。

We welcome all colleagues of this institution to endorse this proposal. Please sign the form below. Thank you!