Endangered language: Encyclopedia II - Endangered language - Debate Over Endangered Languages

Endangered language - Debate Over Endangered Languages

Some linguists argue that at least 3,000 of the world's 6,000-7,000 languages are liable to be lost before the year 2100. There are two basic views as to the implications of this.

One view holds that this is problematic and the extinction of languages should be prevented, even at significant cost. A number of reasons are cited, including:

• an enormous number of languages represents a vast, largely unmapped terrain on which linguists, cognitive scientists, and philosophers can chart the full capabilities and limits of the mind;
• languages embody unique local knowledge of cultures and natural systems in the regions in which they are spoken; and
• languages serve as evidence for understanding human history (see NSF article on endangered languages).

The view at the other end of spectrum is that this is not problematic and in fact should be encouraged. Fewer languages means better and clearer communications among the majority of speakers. The economic cost of maintaining a myriad of separate languages, and their translator caretakers, is enormous. A company could save a lot of money designing and marketing a product in one language, and with one set of instructions. The extremist position of this view is that all language should give way to one single language, thereby creating the greatest economic efficiency possible by utterly avoiding all transaction costs associated with linguistic differences.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Debate Over Endangered Languages", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki