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| Map of Language Loss by Threat Level (Source: Living Tongues) |
Today’s blog post will discuss the topic of endangered
languages and language loss. While
linguists do not agree on the exact number it is believed that around 6000-7000
languages are spoken today, but it is estimated that half of these will be
lost, or extinct, by the end of this century.
This language loss may not seem like a big deal, but as language is a
key element of culture with language loss is also the loss of various cultures
and peoples associated with those cultures.
The concept of language loss, the causes and implications of language
loss, as well as the means of preserving languages will be discussed in this
post.
Languages are considered endangered based on several
criteria, which include but are not limited to specific languages no longer
being taught to new generations, lack of use in everyday activities, fewer and
fewer native speakers, and more. Several
languages have become extinct over the years, while others have simply evolved,
such as Latin, Greek, or Old English. It
is important to recognize the distinction between language extinction and
language evolution. In the former
(extinction), the language is no longer spoken in any sense or variation,
whereas in the latter (evolution) the language continues to be spoken in new
incarnation, such as modern Greek descending from ancient Greek. The languages are not lost as their bases can
still be identified in the modern, spoken languages.
Several factors lead to language endangerment. Language loss can be voluntary or
involuntary, but both of these are directly related to perceptions of
identity. Typically, language loss is
associated with a diminished opinion of the language and people who speak
it. This can be culturally or
politically motivated, such as through peer pressure, passing over individuals
for employment, or laws against speaking specific languages. Various legislated situations leading to
language loss have occurred across the world, including here in the United
States and Canada with the implementation of the mandatory boarding
schools of Native Americans.
The loss of language is also associated with the loss of
culture. Language is a key element of
culture, and language helps transmit cultural traditions, values, beliefs, norms,
etc. Language can help shape an
individual’s identity, so the loss of language can and often does lead to a
loss of cultural identity. So much so
that scholars have noted that individuals who lose their language are more
often to participate in deviant behaviors (e.g. drug and alcohol abuse or
criminal activities) as they seek out and try to reconcile their lost identity
with the negative perceptions associated with that identity. The opposite is also true as you can see here in this video about how speaking one's native language can have positive effects.
Culture is not the only loss associated with language endangerment and extinction. Languages and cultures provide us insights into human history, intellectual knowledge, and cultural diversity. The loss of both creates a vacuum in understanding the past and the present.
Culture is not the only loss associated with language endangerment and extinction. Languages and cultures provide us insights into human history, intellectual knowledge, and cultural diversity. The loss of both creates a vacuum in understanding the past and the present.
Because scholars have recognized the detrimental effects of language
loss proactive steps to prevent language extinction have been implemented. Scholars have begun recording and documenting
endangered languages as a means of preserving them and to use as tools for
educating new generations of speakers, promoting language literacy and maintenance
programs to encourage continued use of the language, and emphasizing the
benefits of language diversity throughout the world. These initiatives, however, cannot be
successful without support from local communities, which include both native
speaking and nonspeaking communities.
Native speakers must and most often do support these initiatives by
actively engaging and participating in them, but nonspeakers of the specific
endangered languages must also be supportive by encouraging and allowing the
language to be spoken without reprisal or punishment. This effort is often harder to obtain, but it
is an integral part of preserving languages.
Language diversity is paramount as it is so closely related to
cultural diversity. Language and culture
loss have greater negative impacts not just on the specific cultures affected but
all cultures around the world. Cultural diversity
helps to understanding the world, as well as how best to problem solve given
the various perspectives inherent in different cultural viewpoints, values,
beliefs, etc. So consider how you can assist
in preserving endangered languages or cultural diversity in your community,
which can be as simple as encouraging someone to speak their language without
fear.
Bibliography
Endangered Language Institute. 2012. “Why?” http://elalliance.org/why/
Kindell, G.
2015. “Endangered Language
Groups: What’s the Fuss?” SIL, Inc. http://www-01.sil.org/sociolx/ndg-lg-grps.html
Living Tongues: Institute for Endangered Languages. http://livingtongues.org
Malone, E. No
Date. “A Special Report: Endangered
Languages.” National Science
Foundation. https://www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/linguistics/endangered.jsp
United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural
Organization. 2016. “Endangered Languages.” http://www.unesco.org/new/en/culture/themes/endangered-languages/
Woodbury, A.C. 2012. “What
Is An Endangered Language?” Linguistic
Society of America. http://www.linguisticsociety.org/content/what-endangered-language
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27 comments:
Language is one of the first thing people learn when they are young. In the world there are 6000-7000 language spoken in these days and we are going to lose half of it at the end of the century. That is sad because losing all those languages, we will lose their cultures, values, etc. That means will never hear that language again. Similar to the extinction of an animal race. Some animals extinct and we did not even saw them.
Losing so many languages is a tragic thought, but i feel it can be prevented. Education can be utilized to keep so many languages from becoming endangered. For example, some Reno high-schools offer Paiute classes to teach students the native language. From what I have seen students who take the class embrace the culture, and inform their peers about it. If other schools adopted a native language course like this, it would surely decrease the number of endangered languages.
First, I never would have thought that if one loses their language, they may "participate in deviant behaviors".
Secondly I can relate to the loss of culture. My family and I are Czech. My great grandparents decided they did not want to teach the children Czech language so they could not understand what they were talking about. I feel this hindered some of the personal connection and bonding with our relatives and cultural background. The same happened on my husbands side. I wonder if this is a generational thing? They are Basque and the Basque tongue is dying with his Grandma unless they choose to go and learn the language on their own.
Sara Indiano
Good Blog post. I recently was looking into statistics on languages within the United States and it is no surprise that English and Spanish are becoming the mostly used languages here. Growing up my family spoke German and English (because of my native German grandparents and parents... it was absolutely essential). I feel it is SUPER important to keep the 6,000-7,000 languages a float. I have to agree with Anamari that it is a tragic thought to lose these languages... and if we all banned together it CAN be prevented.
I couldn't imagine how the cultures who have lost their language must feel. The language that one speaks is a huge part of who they are and where they are from. I would have never thought that someone could participate in deviant behaviors because of the loss of a language. It is really sad that someone would have to go through that. I think that educating new generations and allowing cultures to share and speak their language will help them to stop living in fear and possibly allow them to keep their language. Having all of these different cultures and languages is what makes the world so diverse and unique. It is not fair to take away something that makes up ones identity and there should be more respect and understanding towards these cultures.
Kolbi Tonini
The lost of so many (6000-7000) languages is a catastrophe.Language is important way establishing and maintaining cultural identity. Where are the speakers or persons interested in revitalizing them, without them that language is poised to disappear. Our diversity as a global society is shrinking. But, there is hope The Endangered Languages Project is an initiative of the newly formal Alliance for Linguistic Diversity, a coalition of international linguistic and cultural organization, and Google. The Rosetta project and PanLex Project at The Long Now Foundation are also members of the Alliance
Terry Russell
I assume that globalization is one of the main causes of language loss. What are some other causes? Have languages always died out (presumably at a slower rate) or is this purely a symptom of our modern times?
I think not being able to communicate with ones elders would be one of the hardest parts of language loss. Our grandparents can teach us so much about life and culture, it would be devastating to not be able to speak to them.
Claire Jennings-Bledsoe, Anthropology 101
There are a variety of ways that languages have been lost over the centuries, including conquering of others and the dominant group banning the subordinate group's language, people not passing on the language to their children due to not having children, genocide, etc. Languages have died out throughout the centuries, but we are seeing a sharp increase in recent years, hence the concern.
I never knew that there was so many languages in this world and to find out that half will be gone. Learning your language is very important, because it allows you to communicate with your family and the people around you that speak the same language. Being able to speak with them allows you to learn your history or cultures and where you come from. Learning another language is also good because it gives you the opportunity to learn different cultures and history of that language. It's sad to hear that a lot of languages will die out.
My grandparents attended residential school and a result of this was we were not taught to speak our language. There are more tlingit speakers, and some Northern Tutchone speakers but Southern Tutchone with the Ta'an dialect has less than 10 fluent speakers.
This was a great read! I do my best to learn everything new in Spanish because I want to be able to communicate well in English and Spanish. It's interesting to know that languages are becoming extinct around the world. I believe a big reason has to do with migration. People are always moving from their homeland to other countries, normally to find work, and they have children who begin to develop their personalities in the new language they are around the most. It is difficult to see cultures disappear like this and I wonder what languages are going to be the most dominant in the future.
ANTH 101 Summer 2016
It is interesting to lean many languages if you can, people's culture and language are dying away, so people should teach their children their native language which will help them know their origin, because English language have dominated ever other languages.
I find it a little sad that some languages are being endangered, only cause they are not being taught to the new generation. If you teach your native language then you will possibly keep it. It's not to late to change it.
I did not know that there was so many languages spoken today I figured it was a 10th of that but that was surprising. And also I learned that w we got a lot from Latin and that it created unique languages even though it came from one and how their culture developed differently from their sister languages
I didn't know that we had so many languages but i understand how bad it will be if we do lose languages. Because when you lose a language you also lose the ability to read and understand the literature and writings of the culture associated with that language.
It is sad to see how many beautiful languages have probably become non-existent due to another group taking over which destroyed so many cultures and history because how would we ever know the correct history if the only individuals that know it are dead or enslaved. Linguistic diversity is just as important as cultural diversity because without the language and writing of the specific group then we would lack much history we know now.
Its saddening to know that many languages have been lost do to the assimilation of cultures. These language barriers that are destroying peoples culture due to the fact that they can not learn it any longer because there is no one to teach it. Therefore the culture dies and the language is gone forever.
The fact that i didn't even know there was an issue with langue being lost! i would have never guessed people studied this.
This post was very interesting to read. Its very sad that a lot of cultural groups have destroyed other cultural groups and the languages become extinct.
I didn't know so many languages existed and it is sad than so many are being lost. You wrote "scholars have noted that individuals who lose their language are more often to participate in deviant behaviors" That is crazy to think about, but I understand the correlation. I think as we lose more languages we will lose more knowledge of our past.
Logan Taylor
This was a interesting blog post. I neber knew that there could be so many language lost. I worried how it has to feel for some people who's language is being lost. What do you feel about lost langauge being voluntary or involuntary.
-Daisha Benton
It would make since that culture was lost due to the loss of language. Language holds the key that draws distinctive lines between cultures. It is the first difference we notice besides appearance when seeing or communicate with someone from a different cultural background.
I've read so many blogs about languages that were close to being wiped out. It saddens me because that means some of its history will be lost too.
I did not know that languages lost also occur through extinction and endangerment. That caught my attention because we lose so many animnals to extinction , that I wonder what was? However it’s always say when the loss of culture and or language is occurring , but the reality is .. it happens but the fact that people are discovering the reason and finding ways deter it is good to me . However it scares me the lack of information that’s there because of the loss . However my question is , do you think we lose culture before languages or vice versa? Being that they are that closely related , or so you feel that they can just get lost together ?
-Jazlyn Logan
Typically, once a language is lost a culture is lost, but it can happen simultaneously through biological extermination of a people.
I realized that languages being lost was a big deal, but after reading g this post I realise there are many reasons for it to occur. They can be lost due to perceptions of identity, voluntary or involuntary, or due to the lost of culture.
Elaine christopher
This post emphasizes the negative effects on cultural identity and behavior and clearly describes the reasons for language loss, including unintentional and intentional suppression. Highlighting these ideas to draw attention to the problem's complexity and wide-ranging implications. Also, it addresses the proactive steps that academics are taking to stop language extinction, such as cataloging threatened languages and encouraging linguistic variety and literacy. This shows that the problem is being approached proactively and gives hope for possible remedies.
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