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Vanishing Languages
The world’s languages continue to become extinct, since 100 years from now, more than 6,000 native dialects will have disappeared (Crystal 1). In the past, there has been nothing unusual about a language dying. But, the current situation includes extinction in mass numbers and a dwindling amount of speakers who replace those who die. This massive scale obsolescence is happening so quickly that there is a language dying out every 14 days. The guarantee that most indigenous tongues will exist in a couple of decades is decreasing due to the risk of dominance by other languages. Additionally, if its speakers look down upon their tongue, they may cease to pass it on to their children. Other risk factors include natural disasters that wipe out a specific community or cultural assimilation, which involves integrating a more widespread belief system within a localized community. Two essential ideas discussed in the text include categorizing endangered dialects and preventing their ultimate death.
The primary way to prevent this tragedy from occurring is to notice the warning signs early on, and take action to avert language death. Crystal, hence, introduces a continuum to be used to classify vanishing languages. The first category involves tongues spoken by an economically or socially disadvantaged society. According to Crystal (1), such dialects often have few child speakers as most of their young members are coerced to begin using more popular languages as they interact with others. This feature of limited child speakers automatically qualifies a dialect as endangered. Secondly, if the youngest proficient members of a particular language are older than 50 years, then that tongue is seriously at risk since, in a few years, only a few old speakers will remain. However, this taxonomy also considers the number of speakers as compared to society’s sum population. A stable community with a few members is likely to preserve their tongue more than a widespread culture with unenthusiastic speakers who have settled in different regions. The driving force for engaging in such calculations needs to be a need to maintain diversity. Since languages make up part of a knowledge ecosystem, their death symbolizes the lack of adaptability of a specific species.
Moreover, preservation and revitalization are the two most significant steps that can be taken to reverse language death. The former revolves around documenting, recording, and developing writing systems that could help retain and encourage the use of the dialect. Crystal (1) claims that further use of the tongue in transcribed audio or video files, which may act as museum artifacts, can encourage the younger generation to use and practice it daily. Therefore, although older members may continue to reduce, the language can remain fossilized for younger speakers to pick it up. Alternatively, the moribund tongues can be studied and analyzed by linguists. On the other hand, revitalization involves rejuvenating and rekindling the language through multiple techniques to ensure it stays alive for numerous generations. As a result, society needs to be interested in reviving their tongue by appreciating the significance of maintaining their cultural diversity. Secondly, Crystal (1) argues that government agencies should want to participate in the process by offering safeguards, such as school structures and constitutional backing. The combined efforts of both parties are sure to boost the activities of the experts brought in to revitalize the endangered dialect.
I agree with the two central topics that Crystal elaborates on in his writing. In this increasingly connected, homogenized, and globalized era, tongues that were previously spoken in remote areas are ignored. These dialects are not protected by natural or national boundaries making it easier for them to fall prey to preferred languages. Also, parents in tribal regions are encouraging their children to abandon their insular tongues, and instead, pursue dialects that will propel them towards greater educational success. This trend has become even more irresistible with the arrival of television, which glamorizes materialism and mass consumption of particular cultures. As a result, it seems that prosperous individuals speak specific languages, including English, Russian, and Mandarin. Hence, citizens believe they have to engage in these dialects if they are to engage with their environment. The concepts explained in the article are only possible if individuals choose to ignore this commercialized message and create a living fence around their cultural tongues. A united front among all community members is the quickest and most permanent strategy of ensuring that their dialect does not fate into oblivion.
Consequently, Crystal’s ideas are current and applicable to most individuals in society. Nevertheless, all these alarming statistics and calls for action remain ineffective if the public is not aware of this calamity. Their ignorance can, however, be fought back by giving these tongues a higher profile in society. An efficient strategy would be to maximally use the media and devise several publicity campaigns to inform citizens about this issue. Thus, they can know about the problematic situation that continues to escalate daily. Although the spread of specific languages, for instance, English and French, is inevitable, experts need to encourage multilingualism. Indigenous tongues can exist harmoniously with these dominant languages, instead of surrendering to their invasion every time. Consequently, speakers can maintain a positive identity regarding their native tongue, meaning they retain access to the cultural and linguistic knowledge they gain from being proficient in multiple languages.
Work Cited
Crystal, David. “NL21_4: Vanishing Languages.” The Society Farsarotul, The Society Farsarotul, http://www.farsarotul.org/nl21_4.htm.