RU  UK  EN
Статьи  >  Imagine  >  Languages. Which one is the next to disappear?

Languages. Which one is the next to disappear?

Автор: 21.02.2019 | Africa, Asia, Europe, natioanlities
Very soon we will lose their melody, then we won't recognize the words and finally the meaning will become a mystery to us. Disappearing languages. How many of them were there over the entire period of the existence of humankind? No one know that, and as February 21 marks the International Mother Language Day, we have prepared a post about endangered languages to pay attention to this issue once again.

Language experts rebuke, saying that when a species of animals or plants dies out, entire world bury heads in frustration, they make films about the sad occasion, somewhere activists take to the streets holding placards and newspapers get peppered with the news. At the same time when another language falls into oblivion, nobody would even bow a head. According to experts, we lose one of them every week. And as much as about forty per cent of currently existing languages can be confidently placed into the category of the ones on the verge of extinction. Experts anticipate that, should dynamics remain, in a century people of the planet will speak as few as five hundred languages, three thousand – tops, while, according to various estimations, today there are about six-seven thousands of them.maxresdefault.jpgAustralian aborigines. Photo hiveminer.com

Dialects and languages cross the bridge to nowhere. Nowadays we can trace linguistic extinction even online. Researchers of UNESCO have recently compiled a detailed interactive Atlas of the World’s Languages. Over two hundred languages it mentions are already extinct. A single person on the planet doesn’t speak them anymore. Among forever lost languages there are Kerek, Akkala Sámi, Kamassian, Ubykh, Ainu, Soyot and many others. When studying the atlas, one can figure out, which groups feel confident and which are in danger of rapid death. Depending of the extent of the danger, language zones are marked with colors ranging from white to black. Unfortunately, there becomes more and more of the latter color on the map. That’s because some languages and dialects are spoken by merely several persons and at times by just one. And, according to experts, for a language to survive at least a million people should speak it and children should study its basics.IMG_1250.jpgPamir Kyrgyz. Photo kloop.kg

Australia is the leader of the non-consoling statistics. Verey recently aborigines there were forbidden from using native dialects. It resulted in merely 25 language groups surviving on the continent out of formerly existing four hundred. Out of 175 languages of native peoples of the United States as few as five are still in active use. Over a half of African dialects are in danger of extinction. On Taiwan half of dialects were consumed by the Chinese language. About fifteen languages of Central Asia are at risk of being lost forever. This is the Pamir group, the languages that used to be spoken in isolated highlands of Afghanistan and Tajikistan. Rushani, Wakhi, Khufi, Yaghnobi and others are among them. In neighboring Uzbekistan, Bukharan, Parya and Central Asian Arabic are fading into oblivion. Same fate is awaiting Dungan language in Kazakhstan. One can hear almost no Oyrat language in Kyrgyzstan.68912306.jpgModern Ainu. Photo paranormal-news.ru

Situation in Europe isn’t much better. A group of Sámi languages that used to sound in Lapland is disappearing. Ter Sámi is almost forgotten. And though the ethnic group, that this language is native to, accounts for about a hundred people, there are only two of them who remember Ter Sámi. There are no more than a dozen speakers of Pite- and Ume-Saami from the very same group. Even smaller number of people possesses Votic language. They used to speak it on the border of Russia and Estonia. It wasn’t that long ago when the last speaker of Livonian language, that used to be popular in the territory of present-day Baltic countries, died. But sometimes sad news is followed by good one. Thus, activists took to saving the language of Livonians. About forty enthusiasts have learned it and now they speak it – as a scientific experiment, however. Gottscheerish dialect that belongs in German language is in a tight situation. A very scarce group of Germans who live in Slovenia, communicate in it. Dialects of ethnic groups that inhabit Italy, France, Greece, United Kingdom and Latvia are in danger of extinction.saamy.jpgSaami. Photo abfund.org

You can try and trick yourself into thinking that all the bad things happen somewhere far away and that disappearance of several dialects on a continent doesn't mean much in global terms. Yet, everything is much closer to us. Thus, international organization of UNESCO states that a number of language groups in Ukraine are on the verge of extinction. The language of the Crimean Karaites ended up in the least enviable position. It is followed by Noga and Crimean Tatar language, the language of the Mariupol Greeks and Crimean version of Turkish. Plattdeutsch, Urum and Gagauz languages are endangered.261082c822835ef79aaead753f09546d.jpgKaraites. Photo nazaccent.ru

Unfortunately, things are not limited to a loss of certain phonetic combinations and verbal constructions. Each time a black sign emerges on that atlas, humanity loses something more. Experts insist that upon the loss of own language identity, people experience a shif in their attitude towards life itself. When they lose their "backbone", they developa feeling of being useless, second-rate even and sink into a depression. Besides, upon losing languages, ethnic groups gradually forget own traditional cuisine, fairytales, lores, beliefs, sacred knowledge and narrative of the world, specific to this or that region, all gets erased from memories. Society as a whole loses, too. Take, for instance, Bolivian herbalists. While gathering knowledge about healing plants, witch doctors have created their own language that is only transferred to a limited circle of people. Speakers of the language of a small Kayapo tribe from Brazil have studied bees and know detailed differences and difficulties of reproduction of fifty six species of these insects. But this knowledge is only preserved in the language of Kayapo.Vivência Kayapo (11)_Anne Vilela .jpgKayapo. Photo aldeiamultietnica.com.brPRM00786_146349909_still_1600.jpgKayapo. Photo tigtagworld.co.uk

So why do languages disappear? They used to die out together with their speakers in the times of wars or mass epidemics. Nowadays people give up speaking native languages mostly voluntarily – because they see little prestige value in them. In this case, when choosing schools for their children, people opt for educational institutions where teaching takes place in “high-potential” languages, the ones that can give the offspring a certain social advantage. More to that, when at higher educational institutions and isolated from their parents, children switch to wider-spread languages. For its operation, television also picks the language that majority of the population speaks. Same principle works for theatres, movies, book publishing and music composition. Sometimes people abandon mother tongue due to its complicacy. Take Nivkh, for instance. Numerals are anything but simple in it. It is a hard task to count even to five in Nivkh. Everything changes depending on what it is that you count. Be it fish, sledge or cars – count will almost always be different. That’s because there are nearly thirty ways of counting in this language. No wonder younger generations tend to speak in the language that is simpler for them – in Russian. Add urbanization, migration, labor market with its demands and something as trite as linguistic division of languages into prestigious and second-class ones.1200px-Dungan-Girls.JPGDungane. Photo ru.wikipedia.org

About twenty years ago everything suddenly came to the attention of linguistic experts so they declared the all-out mobilization for the rescue of disappearing languages. According to their calculations, it takes merely two hundred thousand pounds and two-three years of work to document, write down, recreate written evidence and not let a language dissolve in the past. These resources are needed to compile dictionaries and textbooks, make audio records and gather folklore. Over this time the scientists have even elaborated a special computer program that allows revival of ancient languages. Using a unique algorithm, it analyzes words on the level of simple sounds. They have already managed to restore the language that gave rise to several hundred Austronesian languages that are currently spoken in South-East Asia, Madagascar, Oceania and the Philippines.Дети острова Бали.jpgPhoto balihelper.ru

The same sudden realization has been arrived upon on the level of governments. Thus, in Canada they have launched the initiative to protect languages of native peoples and the Prime Minister of the country apologized to the ones whose native dialects had been under destruction for a long time. In Australia, United Kingdom, Japan, Mexico, Venezuela and other countries they also took to restoring the almost-lost. Best success comes to where not just resources and energy are put into development of linguistic forms but also given encouragement of multilingualism on the state level in every way. The story of the Welsh language turned out illustrative in this respect. In late 20th century only one fifth part of the population spoke it. Politicians of Ireland have decided to launch a television channel with broadcast in Welsh alone. Additionally, it was given equal legal status with English. Newest census has shown that not only has the Welsh language survived, it has also significantly increased the number of its admirers.

Read also: Don’t break the tongue: The hardest languages in the world

Scientists have spoken in favor of multilingualism, too. Some of them have suggested a theory that it is knowledge of one language or another that influences our behavior and cognition. According to Sapir-Whorf hypothesis, thought in one’s head depend on knowledge of one language or another. And they use the example of bilinguals to explain how possession of several languages influences cognition. For instance, Steven Pinker, linguist and cognitivist, assures that people who speak both English and German have a different sense of movement, those who are equally good in Spanish and Swedish perceive time in their own fashion while those who possess Farsi and Dutch, feel music in a different way.118652.jpgBikin Udege. Photo culture.ru

What languages can feel safe for the time being? According to experts, English will remain in the lead for a long time. We all can see why. About 1.5 billion people speak it. Chinese language is gaining popularity. Spanish, French and German will hold their positions among front-runners. And in compliance with a poll of British companies engaged in foreign trade, Portuguese, Polish, Russian and Arabic also rank among popular ones.

There is some more reflection-provoking information for those, who are pondering, which second language to choose for education. Research of the Washington Post suggests that English is now spoken in 101 countries, Arabic – in 60. French is used in 51 countries, Chinese – in 33, they speak Spanish in 31 states, Farsi – in 29, German is popular in 18 of them, Russian – in 16, Malay – in 13 and Portuguese in 12 countries.

Cover photo mujer.com.pa

Вам это будет интересно:
Appeasement and beauty. Impressive temples of Asia
Buddhists say: to get rid of suffering, one should get rid of desire. There are special places for that. Today we suggest you to check out our top five of stunning temples, where Buddhists and tourists are looking for a way to harmony for their souls.
10 facts about Papua New Guinea
Professional travelers, ethnographists and explorers rarely visit lands, popular among tourists, because there is a slim chance to make a discovery or learn something new there. However, experts have own TOP-list of countries and regions where even in 21st century they find things to amaze themselves first and entire world then.
If you have 10 dollars and you are in Nairobi
Today we are going on vacation in Kenya style! Let’s watch out for thieves, bargain at local markets, taste fantastic tea and get wrapped up into colourful African textiles. We will find out which places are not available for a modest budget, and without any worries, will cheer up admiring fantastic sunset on the coast of the Indian Ocean.
Colorful continent. Beautiful tribes of Africa
Daily life of African tribes may seem bizarre even for the natives of the continent. Only nature and curious travellers dare to met face to face with distinctive local atmosphere and unusual life of ethnic groups residing outside metropolis.
Wild, wild Africa... Part 2
We are continuing our narration about the most breath-taking national reservations in Africa! There are five more primordial world areas where time hardly slowed down its running being afraid of worrying the natural harmony…
Wild, wild Africa. Famous national parks of the continent. Part 1
Insanely beautiful, raw and refined Africa is exactly the place where one should plunge into a whirlpool of wild nature, taking over an unusual role of a guest in the abode of animals, not vice versa... Here you can free your mind from all artificial and imaginary stuff, feeling like a tiny speck in the vast and exciting world...
Road to Asia is paved with carpets
Carpets hang on walls as a symbol of wealth, lay on floors to create coziness and are presented as expensive gifts. Studying fancy pictures in the shapes of diamonds and stars on them attempting to figure out their meaning is a fairly amusing thing to do. Globally spread carpeting traditions were borrowed from eastern peoples who were the first to learn how to make yarn and fabric out of fibrous materials.
African beauty. Botswana
Facet of Botswana diamonds shine brightly. But aside from gemstones every woman in the world dreams about, there are many other treasures in this African nook. Today let us have a look at this country for ourselves...
10 facts about Lesotho
Universe quite often offers us balance showing the shades and more intensive colors. The bright example of such a equilibrity at the square of South African Republic is the Kingdom Lesotho. The state that is situated high in the mountains, the only place within the territory of the continent which in July and August is visited by snow and snowstorms. That’s why it was called as ‘African Switzerland’.
ZooAsia. Part II
On warm days, nobody wants to remember about the stone jungle of cities, but each of us want to cling to a real green vine and fly into nature, precisely to the place where flora and fauna are harmoniously connected, where you can find trees, birds, flowers, animals, ponds and hills ... towards the zoo!
Stellenbosch: The wine capital of Africa
OUTLOOK keeps introducing you to the most beautiful and unique cities of our planet. Today we will tell you about Stellenbosch located on the outskirts of Cape Town, South Africa. This town is considered the continent’s premier address for wine production.
Islamabad is the capital of…
Despite its declarative name, Islamabad is probably the most secular, cosmopolitan and westernized city of the Islamic Pakistan; and it is also the capital of this state. And although Islamabad is difficult to rank among the lucky ones since important strategic roads have always been on the sidelines, it has something to surprise you with. What its life is about read further in OUTLOOK.
Rwanda: Oh Africa, that’s Africa!
Despite the tragic past, not so long ago Rwandas shot a film called “Living Forgiveness” where they told how they live after a period of survival. The Civil War could not break them. Moreover, nowadays Rwanda, according to tourist standards, is catching up with Singapore. Can you believe in it? Then read the article asap!
Cinema in Nigerian style
For most people Nigeria is known as a country with huge oil reserves and permanent economic and political problems. At the same time, few people outside Africa know about the powerful film industry of this country, the scale and pace of which are nothing short of incredible. We have engrossed in this subject and tried to understand what a Nollywood is.
Saint-Louis: first settlement of europeans in Africa
This amazing African country strikes tourists by odd mixture of cultures. There isn’t a thing you cannot see in Senegal! Retro cars of French origin; cows idly walking along the road; horse-drawn carts... Yet, there are more than enough surprises it its historical and cultural capital city of Saint-Louis.
"Goat-dragging"
“To drag a goat with one’s hands” is a national entertainment of Tajik men however it enjoys huge popularity around Central Asia in the whole. As a rule a couple dozens, sometimes as many as a hundred, skilled and nimble horse riders gather to drag the goat. There is such a throng during the event that people fall off their horses, lose consciousness and even get maimed.
Guinea Bissau: Expensive downshifting
People on holiday can be divided into two types: “tender creatures” and “adrenaline addicts”. Former ones will trade passive sunbathing and comfortable hotels for nothing. The letter ones prefer even cabins to annoying all inclusive and suites. “Cabins” are the conditions Guinea Bissau provides you with.
Not Just Oil and Tourism: Safari from African Employers
There are many options in the world that a person can master. North America has given a boost to startups and the banking sector, Asia - to high technology, Europe - to medicine ... And let's find out what do people do on the sunniest continent in the world?
OUTLOOK Project creates a venue to exchange professional culinary experience between the chefs from Ukraine and the RSA within the framework of the FEEL SOUTH AFRICA event
Chefs from the RSA Andile Somdaka and Mahlomola Thamae, who came as the special guests of the Feel South Africa initiative within the framework of the festival of the cultures of the peoples of the world OUTLOOK WORLD CULTURE FESTIVAL...
FEEL SOUTH AFRICA event by OUTLOOK project and RSA Embassy took place in Kyiv
On November 21, OUTLOOK together with the Embassy of the Republic of South Africa in Ukraine carried out the FEEL SOUTH AFRICA project within the framework of the festival of the cultures of the world OUTLOOK WORLD CULTURE FESTIVAL.
Закрыть
Outlook facebook page