Discussion Post #9
According to the readings, there are several reasons why languages go extinct. It is often unnoticed, but many languages are dying today. The main reason is that younger generations stop speaking the language because it is more beneficial to be fluent in another language—such as English or Spanish—for jobs or education. This is because these languages are more widely spoken and may help them succeed in the modern world. Over time, the original language becomes less spoken, eventually to the point where it vanishes. When a language dies, you also lose a unique way of understanding the world. For example, many minority languages contain knowledge about nature or medicine that isn’t found anywhere else. This perspective dies along with the language.
Linguists can help preserve a language by working with communities to document endangered languages or by helping create educational materials for schools to teach children. However, the most important part is that linguists do this in collaboration with the communities so that they are supporting their culture.
A “dead” language can be brought back to life through the efforts of passionate community members, sometimes in collaboration with linguists or educators.
According to the readings, there are several reasons why languages go extinct. It is often unnoticed, but many languages are dying today. The main reason is that younger generations stop speaking the language because it is more beneficial to be fluent in another language—such as English or Spanish—for jobs or education. This is because these languages are more widely spoken and may help them succeed in the modern world. Over time, the original language becomes less spoken, eventually to the point where it vanishes. When a language dies, you also lose a unique way of understanding the world. For example, many minority languages contain knowledge about nature or medicine that isn’t found anywhere else. This perspective dies along with the language.
Linguists can help preserve a language by working with communities to document endangered languages or by helping create educational materials for schools to teach children. However, the most important part is that linguists do this in collaboration with the communities so that they are supporting their culture.
A “dead” language can be brought back to life through the efforts of passionate community members, sometimes in collaboration with linguists or educators.
Comments
I like how you mentioned the notion that the reason why languages are dying is a result of the younger generation learning more towards more widely spoken languages due to financial motives. I too similarly also mentioned how when a language dies, part of the culture pertaining to the language dies out with it. I wonder what you meant when you implied that losing a language also means losing a unique way of understanding the world. Does this mean that it is forever lost?