Measuring endangerments

A lot of different methods have been developed in the last decades to assess the vitality of a language. However, it is still very difficult to predict the future of a language. Because there are a lot of different factors which should be taken into account and there is no definite threshold for identifying a language as endangered.

One method was presented in UNESCO’s 2003 document entitled language vitality and endangerment. They came up with 9 factors which could determine the vitality of a language;

  • Intergenerational language transmission
  • Absolute number of speakers
  • Proportion of speakers within the total population of the world
  • Language use within existing contexts
  • Language use within new contexts and media
  • Availability of materials for language education and literacy
  • Government and institutional language policies
  • The attitude of the community towards their language
  • Amount and quality of documentation

 

These 9 factors can give a good prediction of the future of a language. However, they cannot guarantee anything.

Stages of endangerment

An extinct language is a language which has no longer any speakers left. However, before a language becomes extinct it passes a couple of stages.

  • The first stage of  language extinction is called potential endangerment. When a language is potentially endangered, it faces strong external pressure, but the language is still passed on to younger generations.
  • The second stage is called endangerment. When a language is endangered only a few people still speak the language and children are no longer learning the language.
  • The third stage is seriously endangered. During this stage the language is unlikely to survive another generation and will very soon be extinct.
  • The fourth stage is called moribund. When a language is moribund, it’s only speakers are members of the grandparents generations or even older generations.
  • The final stage is extinction. The language is no longer used and no one retains a sense of ethnic identity associated with the language.

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