Science & Technology

Many languages in danger of dying out

By T.K. Randall
February 11, 2013 ·  22 comments

Image Credit: sxc.hu History shows us that languages used by smaller cultures tend to be most at risk of being lost. Every fourteen days another language disappears, so what can be done to stop this from happening ? In California, Eureka High has become the largest school in the state to launch a program aimed at keeping alive the declining Native-American language Yurok, which in the 1990s was down to only 6 native speakers. Now thanks to revitalization efforts there are more than 300 speakers including at least 17 who are considered fluent.

Elsewhere, The Endangered Language Project is working towards creating a comprehensive online database of endangered languages. With 141 stored thus far it is hoped that the work being carried out will keep these languages alive for future generations and stop them from disappearing entirely. [!gad]History shows us that languages used by smaller cultures tend to be most at risk of being lost. Every fourteen days another language disappears, so what can be done to stop this from happening ? In California, Eureka High has become the largest school in the state to launch a program aimed at keeping alive the declining Native-American language Yurok, which in the 1990s was down to only 6 native speakers. Now thanks to revitalization efforts there are more than 300 speakers including at least 17 who are considered fluent.

Elsewhere, The Endangered Language Project is working towards creating a comprehensive online database of endangered languages. With 141 stored thus far it is hoped that the work being carried out will keep these languages alive for future generations and stop them from disappearing entirely.

Source: Smithsonian Magazine | Comments (22)

Tags: