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Endangered and Extinct Languages. Language Demographics. There are approximately 6,809 current spoken languages 330 languages each have one million speakers or more. The median size language in the world is 6,000 speakers Since 1900, 600 have been languages lost
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Language Demographics • There are approximately 6,809 current spoken languages • 330 languages each have one million speakers or more. • The median size language in the world is 6,000 speakers • Since 1900, 600 have been languages lost • 2400 languages are endangered, primarily those spoken by small indigenous groups of people • 450 languages have only one or two elderly speakers left • 155 out of 175 are “moribund” in United States • 95% of the world population speak 100 languages • 45% world population speak Top 5 languages, referred to as “killer” languages
More Demographics • 50-90% of current languages are projected to be lost during 21st century leaving only approximately 600 languages • 2/3 of world’s children are becoming bilingual • 44%+ of world’s online population doesn’t use English
Top 10 World Languages Chinese 1.070 Billion English .508 Hindustani .497 Spanish .392 Russian .277 Arabic .246 Bengali .211 Portuguese .191 Malay-Indonesian .159 French .129
Control of Language Variants Banned Languages Endangered Languages Extinct Languages http://www.sil.org/sociolx/ndg-lg-grimes.html
Possible Causes for Language Extinction • Colonialization • Repressive governments • Attrition or assimilation of isolated cultures by modern cultures • Economic and political conflict/alliances • Consumerism through homogenizing corporate and/or artistic western influence • World globalization through new technologies and telecommunications • Human disease • Genocide
Prevention of Language Extinction • Dictionaries for translation • Bilingual educational programs and teacher training • Free lessons in public and private sector • Recording dying languages • Indigenous language movements
Some Visuals • K. David Harrison Dying Language Expert • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SohcBBhNHM • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmLYo8zQOVs&feature=related • Endangered Languages in Europe • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvI5DWJQTnE&NR=1 • Navaho Language Schools • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wE8kiVvkapc&feature=related
Study Guide Banned languages Endangered languages Extinct languages