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Dying language
Thread poster: Lesley Clarke
Lesley Clarke
Lesley Clarke  Identity Verified
Mexico
Local time: 09:33
Spanish to English
Apr 14, 2011

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/apr/13/mexico-language-ayapaneco-dying-out
 
Thayenga
Thayenga  Identity Verified
Germany
Local time: 17:33
Member (2009)
English to German
+ ...
Linguistic extinction Apr 14, 2011

This is a sad issue and such a tremendous loss.
So many languages have already died out, mostly in the Americas.

Thank you, Lesley, for this post.
 
Evans (X)
Evans (X)
Local time: 16:33
Spanish to English
+ ...
Thank you for this interesting link, Lesley Apr 14, 2011

When a language dies like this a whole human take on the world is lost.

Have you come across the book by Mark Abley:

Spoken Here: Travel Among Threatened Languages

It makes very interesting reading. What I retain from reading it some years ago was his conclusion that in most cases the survival of a language depends on it being spoken by children, who are also the ones who bring new ideas and words into it. Without their input, it is very hard for languages... See more
When a language dies like this a whole human take on the world is lost.

Have you come across the book by Mark Abley:

Spoken Here: Travel Among Threatened Languages

It makes very interesting reading. What I retain from reading it some years ago was his conclusion that in most cases the survival of a language depends on it being spoken by children, who are also the ones who bring new ideas and words into it. Without their input, it is very hard for languages with a small number of speakers to survive.

Language policies in schools in many countries have a lot to answer for in this regard. ▲ Collapse
 
Tomás Cano Binder, BA, CT
Tomás Cano Binder, BA, CT  Identity Verified
Spain
Local time: 17:33
Member (2005)
English to Spanish
+ ...
Death by not getting along Apr 14, 2011

At least if the two last people wanted to make a common effort for the survival of the language! They could work together to help linguists document it in detail, by simply speaking to each other about things, their customs, their life, etc. and letting linguists record it all.
 


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Dying language






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