promotion of indigeneous languages

Globalisation and cultural homogenisation mean that many of the world’s languages are in danger of vanishing. UNESCO has identified 150 European languages which it considers are either vulnerable or endangered. We talk to speakers of these lesser-known languages – from Faroese to Pite Saami.

The annual session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. (Photo by UN Women)
According to the UNESCO Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger, at least 43 percent of the estimated 6,000 languages spoken in the world are endangered. This figure is likely to be low, since there are many languages that lack sufficient data to allow for an assessment of their vulnerability.
Increasingly, artificial intelligence (AI) is being used for language learning around the world; major technology companies are making substantial investments in natural language and voice interface platforms. But, even as advancements are made in this area, Google’s former Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt acknowledged that languages that are not prevalent are disadvantaged by AI. These languages are not simply threatened by the  declining population of native speakers but also the technological systems that give preference to the most commonly spoken languages in the world.

The indigenous peoples of the world speak an immensely diverse group of languages, belonging to over thirty distinctly different families just in North America. It is vital for all of us to promote and respect these languages so that we can transmit our legacy to future generations.