Endangered Languages, resources and links
The Living Tongues Institute For Endangered Languages is a non-profit organization dedicated to the documentation, revitalization, and maintenance of endangered languages.
The Endangered Languages Media Database is a hand-selected collection of news and media resources about different efforts in the revitalization and maintenance of endangered and/or indigenous and/or local and/or minority languages around the world.
The Ethnologue is an expansive catalog of the 6,912 languages of the world. A print version exists and is released every five years.
Native Languages of the Americas is a not-for-profit organization working towards the preservation and promotion of endangered American Indian languages.
The Endangered Languages Fund offers grants and funding to individuals, tribes and museums in their effort to document and preserve languages.
Languages have always died, but this is occurring today at an unprecedented rate, and most people are unaware of this problem. The first, and most vital step, is to increase awareness. We must publicize as widely as possible information on the threat of native language loss.
The second step is to shift attitudes towards native languages. Every language contains a unique perspective of the world and every language is worth learning. No language is "more primitive" than others. Furthermore, there is a prevailing attitude, especially in the United States, that monolingualism is a good thing and is normal. However, this is not true in most of the world, and this view hinders our efforts toward language diversity.
Steps to increase awareness and shift attitudes
- Research an indigenous language and study the unique aspects of its grammar and use.
- Watch a movie or play, or listen to music that is in a native language.
- Participate in a language revitalization program or take a course at a local college.
- Promote awareness among peers and take political action.