Languages in Danger of Extinction

There are approximately 7,000 languages spoken throughout the world. What some may not know about these languages is that around 1/2 or so of them will be completely obsolete within the next 100 years. Although it is hard to pinpoint exactly which languages will go away for good and which will stand the test of time, experts in the field of linguistics have an idea as to a few of the languages heading for extinction.

Since the early days, languages were affected by colonization and migration. For example, Native American languages were replaced by English, Spanish and Portuguese as a result of the colonization initiated in the 15th century. The Coptic language was replaced by Arabic after Egypt came under dominance of Arabs in the 7th century.

Languages Which May Go Away

Certain languages are thought to be on their way out in the next century. These include languages throughout areas in Central South America, northern regions of Australia, the upper Pacific Zone of North America, Oklahoma, Eastern Siberia and Southwest U.S. The languages in danger which are spoken in portions of these areas are spoken by aboriginal residents.

Why Languages Become Extinct

As a result of the cultural globalization, the number of endangered languages increased notably in the last century. Many traditional languages have disappeared because people have chosen to use dominating languages over their local traditional ones. This choice is the result of the desire and need to fit into the modern culture. Indigenous languages were the mirror of different type of cultures and societies. The values implicit in the indigenous languages are completely different to the values proposed by modernity.

The other reason has to deal with the number of individuals who speak the languages. Those who speak the different languages may be the last of their kind and therefore, as time goes on, less and less people are available to continue speaking the local language. The extinction of aboriginal populations in America led to the extinction of their languages.

How to Preserve Languages

Language extinction has several cultural implications. Each one of those extinct languages reflected unique cultures and their way of being and thinking. Linguistic Wade Davis states that language extinction “reduces the entire range of the human imagination to a narrower modality of thought”.

There are ways to help preserve native languages and keep them going strong for years. The first is through continual usage. Those who speak the language must continue to do so and be determined to pass the native language on to their offspring who will then pass it on to their children. Also, education is another great way to preserve language. It is crucial to educate the masses as to the importance of language preservation so that all individuals know why different languages simply need to be kept alive.