Berlin - As a language of scholarship, German is "on its deathbed," with most academics speaking at conferences and publishing their research in English, the German Culture Council warned Tuesday.

The days when the scholars of the world learned German so they could read the latest findings in science, engineering and the arts are long gone. In science today, only 1 per cent of the papers published are in German, the council said.

Many German academics prefer to publish in English.

The council said that foreign guest professors coming to Germany to teach or to join research institutes were also "under the impression they do not need to learn German, because English will do."

The council secretary, Olaf Zimmermann, called for more funding of the arts, where German was still a significant language.

He demanded that all academic conferences held in Germany be conducted in both English and German, not English alone. (dpa)