World's most endangered languages mapped
The places where linguistic diversity is most under threat are revealed in surprising new map
LINGUISTIC diversity is threatened in all four corners of the Earth. That's the message in a map of endangered language "hotspots" compiled as part of a project called Enduring Voices, which is backed by the US National Geographic Society.
Most attempts to document linguistic diversity simply count the number of languages spoken in each geographic area. By this measure, Papua New Guinea -- with more than 800 languages -- stands out as the most diverse country. Africa, meanwhile, boasts some 2000 of the world's estimated 7000 languages.
However, neither feature in the top five language hotspots identified by David Harrison of Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania and Gregory Anderson of the Living Tongues Institute for Endangered Languages in Salem, Oregon. In place of a simple count, they have highlighted regions that host languages from a large number of distinct families, places where languages are most under threat of extinction, and where linguists have done little research.
The top five include some entries that may come as a surprise, such as Oklahoma and the south-west US, where Native American languages are rapidly dying out. Top of the list is northern and central Australia, with 153 languages from 62 families. They include Yawuru, spoken by just three people in Broome, Western Australia, putting it on the brink of extinction.
Languages are threatened worldwide as historically isolated populations with a distinct linguistic heritage get subsumed into societies where a few dominant languages hold sway. This extinction crisis is so severe that the list of hotspots may change rapidly. Until about 60 years ago, for instance, northern California would have been in the top 10. Since then, English and Spanish have wiped out Native American languages in the area.
The approach was inspired by the concept of hotspots of threatened biodiversity, which has proved a powerful tool in getting people to think about conservation priorities. Harrison and Anderson hope their map will highlight regions that should be prioritised for linguistic study. They are also placing their data on the web, so other linguists can make their own assessments. "Others are welcome to come up with their own map of hotspots," says Harrison.
Under the Enduring Voices project, the researchers intend to visit as many hotspots as possible and make recordings of the most endangered tongues. Ultimately, though, saving languages lies with the communities themselves, says Harrison. Children need to feel their native languages matter, he says, so efforts such as airing local radio shows in these languages can make a difference.
~~~~~~~~
By Peter Aldhous
© 2007, New Scientist, Reed Business Information UK, Ltd., a division of Reed Elsevier, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Copyright of New Scientist is the property of Reed Business Information and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use.