The Global Extinction of Languages and Its Consequences for Cultural Diversity

Abstract

Most people are aware that global biodiversity in the early 21st century is experiencing mass extinction. Yet few are aware of a parallel crisis for languages, with predicted extinction rates ranging from 50 to 90 % of the world’s some 7,000 languages by the end of this century. Many regard languages as a benchmark for cultural diversity because virtually every major aspect of human culture ranging from kinship classification to religion is dependent on language for its transmission. This chapter focuses primarily on the consequences of the global loss of linguistic diversity for cultural diversity. Discontinuities in transmission of culture and language are frequently accompanied by large human and social costs. Maintaining the world’s languages can be seen as part of a larger strategy of cultural survival providing an indispensable foundation for well-being and resilience.