This article studies publication patterns in the social sciences and humanities (SSH) in Flanders and Norway using two databases that both cover all SSH peer-reviewed journal articles by university scholars for the period 2005–9. The coverage of journal articles by the Web of Science (WoS) and the proportion of articles published in English are studied in detail applying the same methodologies to both databases. The study of WoS coverage and language use is chosen because the performance-based funding systems that are in place in both countries have given different emphasis to publishing in WoS covered journals. The results show very similar, almost identical evolutions in the use of English as a publication language. The proportion of articles covered by the WoS, however, is stable for Norway but has increased rapidly for Flanders. This finding shows that the parameters used in a performance-based funding system may influence the publishing patterns of researchers.