A language dies every 14 days, with half of the world’s 7,000 languages expected to disappear by 2100. Factors include the perception of one language as superior and incorporation of words from one language into another. Geographical areas most at risk include central and eastern Siberia, northern Australia, and central South America.
According to National Geographic magazine, another language dies every 14 days. There are approximately 7,000 languages currently spoken on Earth, and it is estimated that half of them will die out by 2100. Geographical areas where languages are most at risk include central and eastern Siberia, northern Australia, and central South America.
Learn more about languages:
There are two main factors why languages die. If one language is perceived as superior to another, people will use the superior language for the sake of social benefits. They will also teach their children the socially dominant language. The other factor is the incorporation of words from one language into another. After numerous substitutions and inclusions have established themselves in everyday speech and writing, the original language often dies.
About 78% of the earth’s inhabitants speak one of the 85 most predominant languages.
It is possible for a language spoken primarily in a small community to die out after a natural disaster kills all or most of its speakers.
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