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Half the World's Languages Will Vanish by 2100

More than 2400 tongues at risk of extinction, as last speakers die out

By Katherine Thompson,  Newser Staff

Posted Mar 16, 2009 11:11 AM CDT

(Newser) – Globalization has many benefits, but the preservation of the world's languages is decidedly not among them. Ever since the invention of agriculture 10,000 years ago, smaller tribes have assimilated into bigger ones and seen their native tongues lost, and the process has been speeding up, reports the Washington Post. Of the world's 7,000 languages, more than 2,400 are considered at risk of extinction by UNESCO.

And even more could be extinct—marked by the death of its last primary speaker—by the end of the century, as the spread of English, Spanish, and Russian continues to wipe out native tongues of small indigenous groups. The United States alone has lost 53 languages since the 1950s.

Gaelic signs, like this welcoming Céad Mile Fáilte, are all over Ireland, but though the traditional Irish language is doing better than many minority tongues, it's still fighting to survive.
Gaelic signs, like this welcoming Céad Mile Fáilte, are all over Ireland, but though the traditional Irish language is doing better than many minority tongues, it's still fighting to survive.   (©bigpresh)
Inish Oirr, one of Ireland's Aran Islands, is populated by Gaelic speakers, but such communities are much less common now than in 1922, when the country was founded.
Inish Oirr, one of Ireland's Aran Islands, is populated by Gaelic speakers, but such communities are much less common now than in 1922, when the country was founded.   (©cracklow's faux toes)
Athena Archuleta is a member of the Pueblo Tribe of Tesque in Santa Fe, N.M. and speaks their language Tewa. She is one of a dwindling number of native speakers of endangered languages.
Athena Archuleta is a member of the Pueblo Tribe of Tesque in Santa Fe, N.M. and speaks their language Tewa. She is one of a dwindling number of native speakers of endangered languages.   (Photo: Business Wire)
A painted man dances as members of the Aboriginal community perform as part of Australia Day celebrations. Australia's native languages are among those severely endangered.
A painted man dances as members of the Aboriginal community perform as part of Australia Day celebrations. Australia's native languages are among those severely endangered.   (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
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As long as people feel embarrassed, restrained or openly criticized for using a particular language, it's only natural for them to want to avoid continuing to do what's causing a negative response. - Gregory D.S. Anderson, director of the Living Tongues Institute

It used to feel like a sin to speak the Irish language; the English made us feel bad about ourselves, like we were just a nation of alcoholics. Now we feel proud, and speaking Irish is the fashionable thing to do. - Paddy Homan, an Irish musician

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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 3 comments
Riffran
Mar 17, 2009 6:57 AM CDT
latin....a pervasive root language, highly used in the medical profession to detail medical conditions, but other than that?????
Forderon
Mar 17, 2009 4:02 AM CDT
I can't tell if you're joking, but Latin is very important (just ask the entire legal world) or all the languages it spawned. And 500M people is a lot of people.
Riffran
Mar 16, 2009 8:11 AM CDT
chinese , spanish , and english, would have been my geuss....Russian....?.....who would have thunk it?

UNESCO's atlas of languages
UNESCO

Native Australians at high risk
Sydney Morning Herald

 
globalization • culture • extinction • UNESCO • language

 
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