BBC - Today - The death of language? An estimated 7,000 languages are being spoken around the world.
But that number is expected to shrink rapidly in the coming decades. What is lost when a language dies? In 1992 a prominent US linguist stunned the academic world by predicting that by the year 2100, 90% of the world's languages would have ceased to exist. Far from inspiring the world to act, the issue is still on the margins, according to prominent French linguist Claude Hagege. "Most people are not at all interested in the death of languages," he says. According to Ethnologue, a US organisation owned by Christian group SIL International that compiles a global database of languages, 473 languages are currently classified as endangered.
Among the ranks are the two known speakers of Lipan Apache alive in the US, four speakers of Totoro in Colombia and the single Bikya speaker in Cameroon. "It is difficult to provide an accurate count," says Ethnologue editor Paul Lewis. What is lost? Cross words Babbling away. It's Time For The United States To Become 'Officially' Multilingual. I recently received a notice from the Montgomery Board of Elections informing me that my polling place had changed due to redistricting.
While I appreciate the information, I was dismayed to see that the materials I received are all printed in two languages—the English text is mirrored with Spanish translations…Providing foreign language translations removes the incentive for immigrants to learn English. While alarmists like Mr. Mujica claim that foreign languages pose a threat to English in the U.S., the truth is that the greatest threat is English displacing other languages. With each successive generation, fewer and fewer descendants of immigrants speak their ancestors’ languages. Often by the third generation, most can’t speak it at all. Promoting multilingualism fosters diversity. In order to promote and protect non-English languages in the U.S., we must take concrete steps. Our efforts must extend to schools as well. Our government also has a role to play in this process. “Speak American” – Multilingualism and the English-Only Movement.
“Our language is the reflection of ourselves.
A language is an exact reflection of the character and growth of its speakers.” – Cesar Chavez Before offering a blessing on the first day of the White Privilege Conference, Lakota Elder Dave Larson warned the crowd of more than 2000 that he was going to be offering the blessing in a language not native to this land, a language that comes from a small island in the Atlantic. The island is called England. Let’s be clear. The United States has no official language. 322 languages are spoken in the country, with 24 of those spoken in every state and the District of Columbia.
Despite this reality, there is a growing “English Only” movement in the U.S.. Understanding the problematic nature of this sentiment means understanding the history of white, Anglo supremacy in this country. MYTH: Immigrants—particularly Latino immigrants—don’t want to learn English. In essence, by pushing for an English-Only nation, we are dumbing ourselves down! Like this: Why cultural diversity matters.
Cultural Diversity - Tips for communicating with cultural awareness. Cultural Diversity Examples: Avoid Stereotypes while communicating. Human Culture: What is Culture? What is Culture?
The word culture has many different meanings. For some it refers to an appreciation of good literature, music, art, and food. For a biologist, it is likely to be a colony of bacteria or other microorganisms growing in a nutrient medium in a laboratory Petri dish. However, for anthropologists and other behavioral scientists, culture is the full range of learned human behavior patterns. Log In. Throughout the United States, many Native American languages are struggling to survive.
According to Unesco, more than 130 of these languages are currently at risk, with 74 languages considered “critically endangered.” These languages preserve priceless cultural heritage, and some hold unexpected value — nuances in these languages convey unparalleled knowledge of the natural world. Many of these at-risk languages are found in my home state of California. Now for some, only a few fluent speakers remain. This Op-Doc tells the story of Marie Wilcox, the last fluent speaker of the Wukchumni language, and the dictionary she has created.
Like most Native Americans, the Wukchumni did not write their language until recently. For Ms. Although Wukchumni is now being taught to tribe members at a local career center, the language still struggles to gain traction and move beyond a rudimentary level. Continue reading the main story. What is Culture? What is Culture? Everything you always wanted to know about culture.