Threatened Languages

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses the process of the extinction of language and how some languages become threatened. The paper discusses how more than half the languages now in use could disappear by the end of this century. It discusses why this is the case, which languages are most threatened and what can be done (if anything) to try to prevent this phenomenon.

From the Paper:

"Linguists note the reasons why languages die out, and one such reason has been globalization, which makes certain major languages the language of commerce. Also, national education programs tend to promote the majority language and to stamp out minor languages (Marlett, 2000, p. 611). Various scholarly projects are under way to try to preserve languages by recording the remaining speakers and by writing grammars for those languages. Some see the Internet as a force helping preserve languages as minority speakers are using the Internet to chronicle their language. Peter Austin, director of the Endangered Languages Academic Programme at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London, note this trend."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Furniss, C. (2007, April). Modern Languages: More Than Half of the World's Languages Could Be Extinct by the End of the Century, and Many May Not Last beyond 2050. but an Unikely Saviour Is at Hand Far from Bringing about Cultural Homogenisation, as Many Had Predicted, the Internet Seems to Be Keeping Endangered Languages Alive. Geographical, Volume 79, Issue 4, 53-55.
• Marlett, S.A. (2000). Why the Seri Language Is Important and Interesting. Journal of the Southwest, Volume 42, Issue 3, 611.
• Mayton, J. (2006, April). A Dying Language. The Middle East, Issue 366, 60-61.
• Roque, H. (2002). Will Children Inherit All Our Languages?. UN Chronicle, Volume 39, Issue 2, 18.
• Taylor, B.B. (2000, December 6). Endangered Language. The Christian Century, Volume 117, Issue 34, 1276.

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