More or Less: Behind the Stats Does a language die every two weeks?
Aug 3, 2024
Gary Simons, an executive editor at Ethnologue, delves into the alarming state of global languages, revealing that while 7,164 languages exist, many are at risk. He critically examines claims that a language dies every two weeks, questioning the accuracy of such statistics. Simons discusses the impact of urbanization, migration, and colonialism on language loss and emphasizes the role of communities in language preservation. With fresh data suggesting lower extinction rates than feared, he highlights hope amidst the crisis.
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Last Speaker of Akabo
- Boa Senia, from the Andaman Islands' Boa tribe, sang in Akabo.
- When she died in 2010, Akabo, her native language, died with her.
Frequency of Language Death
- The claim that a language dies every two weeks is frequently cited by organizations like the UN.
- However, this statistic is suspected to be inaccurate.
Origin of the Claim
- The "one language dies every 14 days" claim comes from linguist Michael Krause's prediction that 90% of languages would be gone by the end of the century.
- David Crystal later suggested 50% seemed more reasonable, leading to the two-week estimate.