16/07/2012
Endangered minority languages.
Today, languages are dying out faster than ever. Many minority languages or dialects are spoken by only a handful of people, who may be the last generation of its speakers. We must be aware that the loss of one’s language means the loss of one’s culture, knowledge and stories.
Linguists estimate that at least half of the world’s 7,000 languages will have disappeared by 2100. Many languages are on the brink of extinction. Thus, only ten people in Brazil still speak the Krenak language, and in Papua New Guinea, only five people speak the Abaga language. According to UNESCO assessments, only about 500 people speak 100 of the various languages in Indonesia.
Why is this important?
‘Languages are an expression of the rich cultural heritage of their peoples, their oral tradition, stories, poetry and songs. Every time a language becomes extinct, we lose a unique culture of expression in a community, its humour and way of life, and also valuable medical, scientific and botanic knowledge,’ says Wade Davis, a National Geographic explorer.
Language diversity enriches the world and reminds us that there are many ways of expression and thought.
Google has started developing a project that supports the preservation of minority languages http://www.endangeredlanguages.com. The project enables users to download audio-visual information on languages, photographs, dictionaries and grammars of endangered languages.
A map of the world offering information on every language, its origin and culture is displayed on the website. This is a unique source of information for linguists and anyone interested in languages.
Although Google is managing the project, the results and data will be delivered to researchers at the Eastern Michigan University. It is hoped that the new discoveries will raise awareness of the impending extinction of the 3,054 languages that are endangered and will help to preserve them.