Today about 7,000 languages are spoken worldwide, but scientists estimate that about
half will no longer be spoken at the end of the century
Indigenous people speak the majority of the world's 7,000 languages
What are benefits of indigenous languages?
Languages play a central role in the identity of indigenous communities
Each language provides a unique way of understanding the world
Each language acts as a repository of cultural knowledge, practices, and histories
Why are languages being lost?
In the US, the government adopted policies to eradicate indigenous languages, like
sending indigenous children to boarding schools where they were only allowed to speak
English
Worldwide, forces of colonization, globalization and westernization have encouraged
people to speak English or other world languages
What is being done to help?
Indigenous communities around the world are taking steps to revitalize their languages
Initiatives include providing language training to youth, developing online resources,
and encouraging community members to place a high value on their language
Linguists and anthropologists are actively supporting these efforts
Picture on right shows textbooks and DVDs prepared by Lamkaang community in Northeast
India