According to data from the UN, a language disappears every two weeks in the world on average. Although it’s estimated that there are around 7,000 languages on the planet, the death of one of them is not something trivial but implies the loss of part of our history, culture, and knowledge. The meaning of the word “language” implies the significance of losing a language. The term “language” comes from Latin and Greek, meaning “private property” and “idiosyncrasy” to refer to the expressive system of each community.
Languages are instruments for preserving and developing the tangible and intangible cultural heritage of any people. Therefore, when a language dies, a way of seeing the world is lost. In this article, we will explain the causes that promote the disappearance of languages and outline solutions that can help prevent this from happening.
Why do languages disappear?
Although languages have always died and new ones have been created, in recent years the speed at which they are disappearing has increased. But when does a language die? Well, the answer to that question is multifaceted. On the one hand, a language can die when it evolves. This is what happened with Latin: after so much use, it was transformed in the different regions where it was spoken until it turned into new languages. This type of “death” is not a threat to languages but rather a positive point since it multiplies.
On the other hand, a language can die a “tragic” death when it ceases to be used because of the impositions of military or religious regimes, etc. Also, when the speakers themselves do not practice their language due to external factors such as the rejection of their own language by a community. In addition, a language is also likely to disappear due to the increase in migratory phenomena that often lead to the disappearance of traditional ways of life and, as a consequence, the way of speaking of a large part of the population.
A loss of culture and history
When referring to the death of a language, UNESCO also points out that the progressive disappearance of many languages represents a threat to linguistic diversity. “It is not only a question of diversity, but also a matter of human rights since 40% of the world’s inhabitants do not have access to the teaching of the language they speak or understand.” We can consider this consequence as one of the most important when a language disappears.
Likewise, when a language is no longer spoken, the remnants of millenary cultures become extinct. As has been said, culture, linguistic richness, and knowledge are lost. When a language dies, a source of creation and a vector of tradition for the community of its speakers is eliminated from the world.
Ways to keep a language alive
The only way to keep a language alive is to speak it. However, there are many ways to encourage its use. One of them is to encourage its teaching in schools, institutes, or language centers. The aim is to make the population understand the richness of a language and to use it as much as possible. This can also be achieved through art: cinema, books, and music are incredible refuges for languages. When artists decide to create in an endangered language, they are saving it from an early death.
Another way to preserve a language is to make sure that it is documented. In this way, it can always be maintained, even if it is in a written record. However, this does not ensure that it will be spoken again.
The importance of translations
If things continue as they are, a large number of languages may be lost in the coming decades as their native speakers disappear and take their cultures and histories with them. Fortunately, it’s still possible to find ways to save many of them. In this sense, translating content from one language to another can also help. The closer we get to know a language, even if only for its meaning, the more we will get to know it and the more interested we will become in it.
If you’re looking for a company that provides effective and accurate translations, IPT Translations is a good choice. From major languages to lower-incidence languages, they have experts who will help you translate your texts into the target language you need.
