Experts Predict Loss of One Language per Month for Next 4 Decades

Experts Predict Loss of One Language per Month for Next 4 Decades
Study reveals an accelerating loss of language diversity. Sdecoret/Shutterstock
Jessie Zhang
Updated:
International linguistic scholars estimate that without intervention, about one language will be lost every month for the next 40 years, with indigenous languages in northeast South America, Alaska to Oregon, and northern Australia at the highest risk.
A study published on April 19 in Science Advances said that currently, there are around 7,000 known languages on the planet, highlighting just how much humanity stands to lose and why it’s worth saving.
Jessie Zhang
Jessie Zhang
Author
Jessie Zhang is a reporter based in Sydney, Australia, covering news on health and science.
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