This paper presents some linguistic features related to the self- and the other-dimensions of academic voices in research articles. The study demonstrates how polyphonic structures may contribute significantly to the characterisation of academic voices. The self-dimension as manifested through various author roles, the other-dimension through bibliographical references as well as the polyphonic construction of concession, combining the two dimensions of self and other, are considered. The findings are taken from the KIAP project, focusing on the study of Cultural Identities in Academic Prose (www.uib.no/kiap/; Fløttum, Dahl & Kinn 2006).