Saving Voices: The Effort to Preserve Endangered Languages

42 minutes ago3 min read

Edited by: Dru N.

Skillman, NJ

Wooden Scrabble tiles with black letters and numbers scattered randomly. Letters include S, M, J, and E, evoking a playful mood. — In many languages, letters are the basis of written communication.

With over 7,000 languages being spoken today, it may seem as though linguistic diversity and cultures are thriving. However, due to our continuous neglect of these uncommon languages, entire cultures have gone and are currently going extinct; hence, scholars and scientists are working together to preserve vast expanses of vocabulary before it is too late.

Indigenous Languages

The majority of general languages that require preservation are indigenous. Many of these languages have few remaining speakers, often due to historical oppression and socio-economic challenges, as well as the dominance of other languages. Many indigenous tongues, such as Eyak, Serrano, and Unami, have gone extinct in recent years, and many more, such as the Achumawi, Blackfoot, and Montana Salish languages, are considered critically endangered. Out of the 300 indigenous languages before Western contact, only twenty are predicted to exist in the year 2050.

The processes through which the indigenous had undergone European colonization were greatly detrimental to the vitalities of their cultures. Native children were educated in English and discouraged from speaking in their mother tongues, while their parents were forced to adopt the western way of life, away from traditional-style homes. Only recently, in the twentieth century, did Congress pass the Indian Education and Native American Languages Acts, ordering the forced education of Western refinement to cease.

Other Minority Languages

Apart from indigenous languages, many regional and minority languages face similar threats. In Europe, languages such as Breton in France and Cornish in England have seen drastic declines due to national language policies and shifting cultural priorities. For instance, Cornish lost many of its speakers during the 1549 Prayer Book Rebellion, where they were required to learn English. These languages have received many revitalization efforts; some of their methods will be covered later in this article.

Likewise, in East Asia, dialects and languages like Ainu in Japan and Saaroa in Taiwan have been shadowed by enforced national linguistic standards, leading to their decline.

Efforts to Preserve Languages

Emerging from the risks of language loss, such as losing ancient knowledge, thinking, and traditions, linguists and entire communities of these fading cultures are working together to document, teach, and revitalize endangered languages. Systems such as language nests, where children are immersed in their ancestral language from a young age, have proven useful in regions such as New Zealand to raise new generations of fluent speakers of these endangered languages. Moreover, online resources, including language apps and online dictionaries, are making it easier for new generations to learn and utilize various languages to express themselves in daily life.

Additionally, government policies play a crucial role. Countries with endangered speakers and cultures have implemented initiatives to support linguistic preservation. In the United States, educational programs have been established to help revitalize various ancient languages.

However, throughout all of these efforts, it is important to keep in mind that language is more than a means of communication; it carries the history, identities, and worldviews of its speakers. The loss of a language results in the devastating loss of centuries of these cultural expressions. Through continued support of this cause, we can work toward a world where linguistic diversity is not just left in the past but a promising aspect of our future as well.