posted by Sam Richards
It’s rather sobering to think that there are upwards to half of the approximately 7,000 languages that are used in the world today will no longer be spoken by the time time twenty-something college students are lowered into the ground. Another language, one of the world’s oldest, just gave up the ghost the other day when the last remaining speaker died. I supposed that it’s not as devastating as the earthquake in Haiti, all things considered, but there is something existentially unnerving about knowing that a complex form of communication that brought so many people together over so many centuries is lost forever. And maybe I’m too sentimental…and maybe I’m just feeling the effects of living in a time of rapid social, economic, and environmental transformation.
I don’t think we “should” feel some sort of way about this. But I do think it’s worth setting aside our phones and remotes and pondering that nobody will EVER hear these words spoken…ever again. If you don’t feel something about that, then perhaps you’re just not tapped into this particular mystery.
Check out this article from the BBC: The Tragedy of Dying Languages
As people grow older, death doesn't become as much of a fear as it is when we are younger. However, I can't imagine how it must feel to have one's language and culture die along with you. To be the last person speaking one of the world's 7,000 languages must be quite difficult. First of all, how is that person supposed to communicate with life at all? That woman mind as well have been the last person alive in this world. I took a linguistic class last semester, and learned that although many languages are dying these days, more will be forming as languages blend together. This is a win-lose world. It's sad to realize that the way these people lived and communicated is gone forever, however it's reassuring to remember that new languages and cultures come as old ones die.
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It is hard to imagine that a language can die out. It seems like it is our fault that we let this happen. You would think that with all of our technical capabilities that we would be able to keep the language somewhat intact. I did not even have a clue about the number of languages that exist today. Even if there are only small variations in languages, it is a huge amount of languages. It may not compare as well as a lost language, but with the death of Michael Jackson we lost the last era of amazing Pop music. There will never be anyone as successful. This lost language has a huge impact on the history of the Bo. The language lasted 70,000 years. I’m surprised this is not a bigger deal.
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I don’t know what I find more, I guess I’ll say sad; the fact that a language can die so unnoticed, or the fact that no one seems to care. I feel that as we progress further and further into the realms of technology we seem to lose any appreciation for the written and spoken word. I remember in high school when we would read Shakespeare. I thought the way he spoke was so eloquent and beautiful, though I was probably the only one who did, most kids just find it impossible to understand and outdated. That in itself is a way in which we are losing a beautiful and unique language, and English is certainly far from dead! I can’t even imagine what is being lost when a language is completely lost. I feel like people don’t realize that it is not just a few words and some grammar that is being lost; when a language dies an entire culture dies with it. While there may be people who have studied the language or understand the customs, that doesn’t mean the culture still exists, it has instead become a part of history, it can’t continue to be lived and experienced, it is reduced to being reenacted and studied.
But what can we do? Even if our hearts collectively bleed at the death of a language, we can’t truly revive it if we weren’t actually a part of that culture. And we can’t force the future generations of a culture to keep alive the traditions of their ancestors, especially if at the same time we’re encouraging the merging of cultures. So then I suppose the only thing that can be done to mourn the loss of a language is to take notice and pay respect to somethig so steeped in tradition that is now lost. I suppose we could also realize that the only thing keeping a language we love from dying is ourselves, the only way to preserve our wats are to pass them to our children, and more importantly to teach them about the importance of appreciating the words spoken of those who have come before us so that they too can pass it on. I suppose in the end though, language is merely a tool for expressig yourself, and so long as there is a way to do this, what language you use is second priority.
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There are so many languages that I don’t even think of and I know that they are there. When I think of languages I really only think about the ones that I know of from main countries such as French Italian, German, English, Chinese, Spanish and other languages originating from main areas. Basically, any language that they offer in high schools in the United States are the ones that I think of. Even though I know that there are so many other languages there are few times when I actually register that they are there. We hardly ever hear other languages in our country and even though I leave the country quite often for travel I still don’t think about other languages that much because there are usually people who speak English wherever we go. As bad as it may seem, I feel like living in America we are under the impression that English is the main language everywhere and that most people will change their ways to accommodate us which is definitely not the case.
Knowing that there are thousands of languages is almost shocking to think of especially considering I only know one. All though we have the benefit of living in the United States, we lose out when it comes to learning languages because for the most part we don’t really have to trifle with other languages unless we are truly hoping to go study somewhere else or attempt to relocate to another country. I would feel totally overwhelmed if I went somewhere where I couldn’t speak the language so I couldn’t imagine how others must feel when they come to our country which is so dominated by English speaking peoples.
The idea that a language can die out seems very strange to me. Although the language can be written down I understand that the pronunciation can be extremely complicated and that is why it would be possible for it to die out. To think of English dying out seems like a totally unimaginable thing to me. To even think of my language being unknown to people and almost considered a legend is crazy. I feel so terrible for the person who would feel such a burden to know that the language that they grew up with and struggled to learn and possibly attempted to teach to others has completely disappeared or to know that you are the last hope for your language.
There are so many languages that we could possibly learn but how could keep them alive with the growing need of a common language among all of us. I really think that is the direction that we are heading towards since we need to have a common string among all continents eventually so it will be interesting to see which language could possibly come out on top for this battle.
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The concept of loosing a language never really came across my mind. But after reading this blog entry, it definitely makes sense. I feel like the disappearance of a language is something that is bound to happen. When this happens I feel the bigger loss, is the loss of a culture that the language holds within. Don’t get me wrong, every time we lose a language its depressing, but I’m sure there are thousands of languages and corresponding cultures that have died our with no knowledge to anyone presently living. I’m sure there was knowledge in many of these languages that our current population will have to figure out for itself since their languages have faded. It’s hard to prevent a language from dying due to the ignorance of most of them.
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You know what, Doctor Richards? I do feel a certain way about this.
There are thousands of languages and dialects out there in the world, so losing one doesn't seem like that big of a deal if you look at the math. But losing one is still losing a particular culture off the face of the Earth that will never, ever, ever come back. At one point, there were whole groups of people sharing in this culture and living it every single day of their lives– it was important and mattered at one point, and now it's totally gone. They don't have a legacy anymore.
It IS devastating.
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Its interesting to me that a language can become extinct like that and the fact that know one even took the time to get to know the language so that it wouldn’t completely be extinct. When a language becomes extinct it doesn’t only stop communication with those people but it extinguishes there culture in a sense. What ever was symbolic in that culture will only be known to people that understood that language. This makes not only the language extinct but the culture itself, I feel that losing a language and culture is sad because who knows what interesting things that culture may have had to offer.
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Thought it may not initially seem relevant that one language has died out because there are really very many languages that are and will always be unfamiliar to us, the death of a language comes hand in hand with the death of a culture. Maybe, I am looking too far into this, but I feel like it is important, to some extent, not that it is not going to directly impact us on a significant level. However, I feel like we have to keep in mind that language is much more than a form of communication. Unfortunately, in the near future it seems that many other languages will suffer from the same fate.
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Language is such an important part of our lives. Without it, we wouldn’t be able to communicate, let alone function in a civilized manner. When I read there were approximately 7,000 languages in our world today, I was blown away. It is absolutely great that we have resources, education and the ability to study other languages to such an extent. In our country, children are even being taught a different language at an early age. It is especially important for children to learn Spanish or Chinese. These languages are going to be so important in our upcoming lives.
Learning about these different language is very beneficial. With the knowledge of these different languages we can learn about the people that use them, their cultures and customs. That is why it is important to learn as many languages as possible. Languages inform us about the past and people’s history. Without the knowledge of others language, we as humans are hindered from learning about the past. For example, if we were able to decipher what was written on the Rosetta stone, new knowledge could be shed upon humanity. This is why the statistic that 80% of languages aren’t even accounted for from the article scares me. There should be a way to document all of our languages.
How is it possible for us all to coexist without knowing each other’s languages? And will these languages ever be documented? Then I also begin to think, will English ever perish? Our language has existed for quite sometime and many other countries are even fluent in English. If it is used in many other places, how could it possibly die out? I don’t see it dying out in the near future, but possibly after my time it could. I feel like we have enough documentation of our language that it would be able to withstand time. However, language going extinct goes hand in hand with globalization. It is scary to think about, but I feel it might be inevitable. As we progress, I also wonder if having a universal language is attainable. It also makes me wonder, how many languages have vanished?
Although I felt sad that her language had finally become extinct, what good is it if no one else uses it? Also, was she able to communicate with anyone else? Did she know enough of another language to interact with others?
Even though language is important, it is more about the emotions that we are trying to express. We all share the same emotions, and because of that are able to communicate. Although spoken language can be passed down from generation to generation, it can be altered. Written language is set for the rest of time. This is why it is so important to record our languages.
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I think this is actually rather devastating and upsetting to think about. I wish that it were possible to preserve things such as culture and language forever, but it is inevitable. These things are bound to die out, and eventually end entirely disappear from culture. I think one of the saddest things happening right now is that less and less people are speaking latin. If we think about it logically, most languages are derived at some point from latin, yet it is barely ever spoken anymore. Most high schools aren't giving it as a language option to learn, and some colleges are eliminating it as a major. Knowing latin is very helpful for learning other languages, especially english. It helps show people where words come from and what the words mean.
On another note the fact that over 3500 languages will probably be dead by the time I die is outrageous. The man that just passed away who was the only speaker of his language left on earth couldn't have taught it to someone else? That whole concept is hard to understand. I think it would be easy to say "I'm the last person on earth that speaks this language fluently, is there anyone who be able to learn it and conserve my culture?" I just can't imagine any language that over 1000 people speak, let alone 1,000,000 being about to die out completely, and that people would just let that happen.
As devastated as I am that languages are bound to die out, I think it's really cool that the world is evolving that quickly. So quickly that in less than a hundred years, over 3500 languages can be completely gone. Even though that's a bad thing, it shows that we have the ability to change things for the better too. Maybe as 3500 languages are dying out, more people will learn to speak one of the remaining languages better. Maybe humans will become bilingual or trilingual. Communication could take a turn for the better throughout this whole process.
As far as Sam's last sentence, "And maybe I’m too sentimental…and maybe I’m just feeling the effects of living in a time of rapid social, economic, and environmental transformation." I think that part of it is sentiment, but a lot of it is the effects of living in a time of transformation. Things are changing quickly in every area, in most parts of the world. Power is shifting, wars are getting worse or getting better, and communication its self is completely different and revolutionary. We are in a time today where someone can "know someone" and "speak with someone" without ever meeting them in purpose. We are in a time where I can type in one language into google and immediately translate that to send to a friend who doesn't speak english. And I think that's pretty cool.
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It's hard to really appreciate another language without exposure to these different cultures. Here in America, many of us feel that English is the only language, because it is what we speak and what we know. In addition, it's one of the most spoken languages on the planet. Many times, I find myself feeling the same way. And when I'm not speaking English, I find myself speaking other popular languages such as Spanish or German because they could possibly be beneficial to my future. Most people living in the United States will probably not come in contact with more than a dozen languages in their entire lifetime, however I think its mind blowing to consider how many languages are really spoken in our world. Although I'm sure the number of spoken languages are rapidly decreasing, which is evident in the video with the loss of the Bo language, I never really thought about the number of languages that have been developed over time and the number of different cultures and lifestyles that go along with them. It is crazy to think that each language has an entirely different history. Unfortunately, as time goes on and we our planet continues to develop technologically, the number of languages spoken will likely only decrease even further because of our decreasing need for them. I think that this is a terrible thing, but it is also something that is unavoidable. Because it is becoming increasing possible for people of different countries to travel and trade internationally, and because many people are moving towards cities, our society has lost many languages.
I think that it's scary to think that someday our language will be lost, just as the Bo language has been. I can't imagine how much history was behind the language, just as there is a lot of history behind the English language. Millions of people speak English today, and to think that someday there will only be one more person that speaks it is an intense thought. And although that time may or may not be a long way down the road, it will come nevertheless. To me, the loss of the language is more than just the loss of an entire culture. It is the loss of an entire history, full of relationships and struggles. With the loss of each language, our world loses a chunk of history. After watching the video of the Bo language, I was intrigued by the uniqueness. It didn't sound like any other language that I had heard before. It also made me wonder how many other languages like the Bo language were out there, on the verge of extinction. Many languages, once spoken by thousands, possibly millions, share the same unfortunate fate as the Bo language. It is my hope that their cultures and history won't be lost with them.
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I can not imagine what it would be like to be the last remaining member of my language or culture. At least I can take some pride in knowing I made it that much furthur than everyone else. However, can you imagine trying to learn English then if your only relation to it is words that no one else can relate to. It would be rather hard to get a grasp of any conversation and you’d probably feel very alone and almost exiled. One of the worst things to do to someone is to exile them socially.
It is amazing though that the Bo language had lived so long. However, I do not understand what could possibly have lead to the seizure of its teaching. I guess they just stopped teaching it instead of more popular languages in an attempt to adjust to the world around them. Boa Sr. Represented the last bit of an entire culture and that’s something to be proud and interested in. I hope that this story does not disappear under another headline because it is very interesting about how a culture can die out.
It becomes an eye opener that just because something has been around for so long, does not necessarily mean that it will remain in existence just because of its tenure. It is sad to think about the time and lives of the Bo people and everything they may have ever played in a role in. There is now no trace of their history, no record of what they have done and have not. They truly did just disappear off the earth. Their accomplishment as a people has now been forgotten and they are just a folklore or a “remember when” comment. After thousands of years of inhabit ting this earth, these people are now gone, much like dinosaurs and the Jurassic period.
Should this event lead one ot believe that it is possible for any modern day culture to just become obsolete and die out. I do not think so. I feel like the world as a whole is as advanced as its going to get and everyone seems to be on the right page. In my own personal opinion I believe that the cultures of the world will be here forever. Just as long as there is no natural or man made catastrophe that leads to the complete demise of a race or group of people that do not travel at all. However, there will always be some trace of every race to every country no matter how far or how long it may take to develop. I am saddened by the loss of the Bo people but do not think it is something that will happen again in the near future.
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I never thought about how many languages are spoken in our world today, I defiantly didn’t think there were about 7,000. Due to our egotistical country, I don’t think we realize that there are billions of people living in this world who speak languages other than English and Spanish. To think about our language dying is a very scary thought, let alone knowing that you are the last person who knows how to speak your native language. From the BBC article I completely agree with Johnny, the last Chemehuevi speaker, on the fact that he claims people want to learn the native language, but when it finally comes down to do the work- nobody wants to put in the effort. It’s sad to think that your own people don’t want to learn the language that has been passed down from many generations. As stated in the article, it may hold insight of biology, pharmacology, end rituals that may help our well-being. I believe the only person to blame for this is yourself! For instance, Spanish has been one of the dominant languages in the world for hundreds of years now as well as Chinese and Italian. Yes there are different dialects and phrases but the main reason for this language to still be so alive is because our ancestors kept speaking it to our grandparents, then passes down to parents and so on. With that said, I don’t understand how Boa Sr. didn’t teach her children or anyone else in her tribe this fascinating language. Clearly she was able to learn it and speak with her elders so why not take the initiative and keep this ancient language in existence? Maybe her family was the last to speak Bo and everyone else in the community had already been using a different language for decades. Either way it just boggles my mind that she didn’t teach it to anyone else. I completely disagree with the article saying that government is to blame. In other countries, as well as our own, the government can impose education laws by having English or any foreign language class as a requirement in schools. That doesn’t mean that they are trying to completely abolish the native language but solely making their country more diverse and educated. Our own language has changed drastically from the colonial times till now. With the technology we use in our generation in order to communicate such as text messaging, AIM, Facebook, ECT. different words and phrases are made everyday such as; lol, ttyl, and omg. It is very unfortunate to know that many ancient languages of the world will eventually be distinct. Hopefully people can realize how valuable their culture is and recover it from the road towards extinction.
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I don't know what I find more, I guess I'll say sad; the fact that a language can die so unnoticed, or the fact that no one seems to care. I feel that as we progress further and further into the realms of technology we seem to lose any appreciation for the written and spoken word. I remember in high school when we would read Shakespeare. I thought the way he spoke was so eloquent and beautiful, though I was probably the only one who did, most kids just find it impossible to understand and outdated. That in itself is a way in which we are losing a beautiful and unique language, and English is certainly far from dead! I can't even imagine what is being lost when a language is completely lost. I feel like people don't realize that it is not just a few words and some grammar that is being lost; when a language dies an entire culture dies with it. While there may be people who have studied the language or understand the customs, that doesn't mean the culture still exists, it has instead become a part of history, it can't continue to be lived and experienced, it is reduced to being reenacted and studied.
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But what can we do? Even if our hearts collectively bleed at the death of a language, we can't truly revive it if we weren't actually a part of that culture. And we can't force the future generations of a culture to keep alive the traditions of their ancestors, especially if at the same time we're encouraging the merging of cultures. So then I suppose the only thing that can be done to mourn the loss of a language is to take notice and pay respect to somethig so steeped in tradition that is now lost. I suppose we could also realize that the only thing keeping a language we love from dying is ourselves, the only way to preserve our wats are to pass them to our children, and more importantly to teach them about the importance of appreciating the words spoken of those who have come before us so that they too can pass it on. I suppose in the end though, language is merely a tool for expressig yourself, and so long as there is a way to do this, what language you use is second priority.
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The world is a big place. It always has been, and in some sense, it always will be. Certainly there's more to see and know in the world than any one person could possibly experience. Each country has its wonders, each town its stories.
But in another way, the world has become smaller. What once were insurmountable distances have become a day's ride in the family car. A range of mountains once may have been impassable, but a tunnel through the very earth can allow easy passage today. A trip to the opposite side of the globe, while expensive, is within the reach of the middle classes. And beyond transport, communication technology has progressed so that a message can bounce around the world in just seconds. Commerce has become global in scale with transnational corporations marketing to peoples on all continents. Industrialization has changed the scale in which mankind interacts with the world.
In a similar way, it has changed the way that culture works in the world. Historically, cultural differences came about as a result of geographic locality. If it is difficult for members of a tribe to walk 20 miles through the jungle to reach a neighboring town, outside cultures will have a smaller impact on the development of language, traditions, beliefs and social norms. On the other hand, if trade brings information and commerce from far-off lands, other cultures will tend to have a larger impact on local cultural development. In other words, the greater the transfer of people, goods and information, the more cultural mixing occurs, and the more homogeneous culture becomes.
In today's society, where information transfer is cheap and nearly instantaneous, where the scope of cultural mixing is global rather than regional, it is understandable that world cultures are becoming less distinct, and that many of the smaller cultures are disappearing. It is difficult for distinct cultures which are in close contact to remain in stable equilibrium. In a way, it could be looked at as progress towards a more compatible and streamlined world culture. But in another way, it could be seen as a loss of diversity that cheapens the human experience.
I tend to agree with this latter interpretation—more specifically, I feel that mono-culture leads to widespread manipulation of human beliefs by corporate and political interests that are focused on pointed, shallow and near-sighted messages. When people focus on a large scale, the smaller things that are important to creating a livable world tend to be forgotten. Corporations are interested in supporting rampant consumption, when often simplicity is a more satisfying and worthwhile way to live. Political interests aim to emphasize idealogical division, when often it is more important to find common ground between people to work towards mutually agreeable policy.
In this environment, it is easy to see why languages are disappearing—why is it profitable to preserve little-spoken languages? Which political ideology does it support? As with most problems with the world today, I have no solution to offer, but to do what you can on a day-to-day basis. Celebrate those cultures which you hold near to you, and be aware that globalization is both connecting our world and diluting our experience.
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The disappearance of an entire language and culture is something people do not think about on a daily basis. However, cultures and their languages are gradually disappearing all over the world. The unfortunate fact of the matter is that it is nearly impossible to keep up with each of these languages, and they may be lost forever. The BBC article states that some languages contain specific information that resists translation. Consider the Kallawaya, who have extensive knowledge of medicinal plants, or how the Tofa classify reindeer in Siberia. As these cultures and languages fade away into nothing, so do their discoveries and knowledge.
When considering just how important it is to help protect these languages, one might turn to the Library of Alexandria as an example. The loss of the single collection of books and scholarship may have prevented incredible amounts of knowledge to be passed on to the present day. The loss of a language can coincide with a vast loss of information.
What many people fail to realize is that the disappearance of culture and language is cyclical. Cultures regularly emerge and die throughout the history of the world. The Romans, the ancient Greeks, Egyptians, and other cultures all eventually faded away, taking many of their traditions and translations with them. It is amazing to think that in just one hundred years, the world could be vastly different than it is today. The United States might no longer be the world super-power, and technology could completely change how people go through their daily lives. By recognizing the cyclical nature of the existence of cultures, we can provide information to those examining our culture in the future. We should constantly take measures to preserve our culture, as well as others in the world, so that the accomplishments of these years are never lost. The United States and other civilized nations do a good job of this through the construction of museums and similar venues.
Our focus then should be on the cultures that cannot help themselves. Hearing this person speak the last words of their culture is incredibly powerful. The Bo culture has been exposed to people all over the world that may have never known anything about it. It shows us that no matter how small a group of people is, they are special and contribute something in their own way. The true miracle of life is how human beings are able to find so many different and unique ways to survive in the same world. This is the reason that we should try to preserve the knowledge and findings of every single culture; who knows when we might need it to survive one day in the future?
This was written 100% stream of consciousness style.
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What happened to her people? Did she not reproduce at some point? I think it’s sad to actually KNOW that a language or culture no longer exists, especially since it just happened. It’s logical that as time goes on, cultures will disappear because the “new” and modern ones take over and eventually dominate the area in which they are settled. Examples of this would be the fall of the Incan Empire and the withering of the Indian tribes which were taken over by the Spanish and the Europeans. Today, though some of the people may look like they did hundreds of years ago, they do not speak the same way.
My grandmother can speak Quechua, an indigenous language, but I was never taught how to. I feel as if though I missed out on something, the language does not play a part in my life because I live in the United States and in Ecuador I spoke Spanish just like my parents. My mother knows a couple of phrases and words but not the entire language. I don’t live with my grandparents and I was not taught the language as a child so how will I learn the language so I can pass it on to my children? It’s almost impossible to pass on these parts of us to our offspring, so I can understand how seven-thousand languages have already disappeared.
One thing that really bothers me is when the parents know a language fluently but somehow they don’t think it’s important to teach it to their children. I see this frequently among Hispanic families. Either one of the parents is Hispanic or both the parents are Hispanic yet their children do not speak a word of Spanish. I mean, is it that hard to speak the language to your kid while he’s growing up? If you were raised speaking Spanish then how can you just entirely forget to speak it as you get older because you live in the United States, which by the way does not have an official language? I have a friend whose mom is Puerto-Rican, full blown PUERTO RICAN, and his father is Black. His mom was speaks Spanish but she never taught it to her children and now when her son tells someone “Oh , half Black and half Hispanic,” he just seems ridiculous because he is missing an important part of his culture, his language.
I don’t think there is a “solution” to the uprising number of language losses at this point. However, people should realize that if they have traditions or languages that were learned from their parents or grandparents they should teach it to their children so that a little more of “them” can be passed on to the future generations and so that we don’t just become ONE BIG WORLDLY culture.
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As a speaker who can speak Korean, which is a language that most of the people in the world do not know how to speak, I kind of feel for Sam. To tell you the truth, I do not feel sad or something about the last speaker as much as Sam does. However, it is for sure that I do not feel OK either. The word “last” always means something in every situation. In relationships, friendships, or even in these kinds of sociological situations, the word “last” make us think deeper and more sentimentally. Maybe that is why I do not feel OK when I read this blog and BBC News article.
Last night, I happen to watch a documentary about Amazon. It was an award-winning Korean documentary and it pictured the lives of people who live in Amazon in traditional ways. It was kind of shocking to watch them hunt, make pots with clay from river, walk in no shoes, etc. To people who live in very developed societies, their life styles might seem less articulated. However, their lives looked so fascinating to me. Especially, their languages made me have some kind of emotional sensations in my heart. Also, it was kind of surprising that the documentary had subtitles for their traditional languages. It seemed like language was one of the components that tied those tribes to stay strong together. Let’s think in this way. We, the outsiders, can try to understand and study their traditions and life styles; however, we will never be a part of them unless we speak their languages. As one can see, language is a crucial part of every society.
I not only read Sam’s blog post, but also watched the Youtube clip about the last Bo tribe language speaker. The video was definitely made me contemplate what this event means. Evaporated language means evaporated tribe. I do not think that Bo tribe can hold themselves as strong as they did when this last speaker was alive, or when they only knew their language. It is really sad to see one of the oldest tribes in this world is facing its final years with the death of Boa Sr.
Actually, I do not think there is something we can do about this phenomenon. More tribes are now adapting convenient life styles from outside. More tribes are now moving out to the world where they cannot be themselves anymore. And the vanishment of languages clearly explains this. I hope at least my language, Korean, stays long. After I read this post, I imagined myself being the last Korean speaker. What will happen if I am the last one? I wish these tribes stay as long as they can with keeping their languages.
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This topic really hits home to me because I actually am thinking about becoming an interpreter and languages are an important part of my education. I can’t even imagine the loss of a language. I tried to imagine being 85 years old and being the last person who speaks English and just the thought of it is incredible. The loss of English is almost impossible to imagine but it is in fact possible. This situation is sad to me that people don’t care enough about their own heritage to spend the time to learn a language that has been spoken for so long by so many. Think of all the people who have spoken the Bo language, it’s over 70,00 years old. This language defined this entire tribe and now no one in that tribe can even speak the original language. Language is everything. It is a way to connect with others, like your family members, your friends, the people in your community. It’s hard to spend even a day without talking to someone at some point. Boa Sr had no one who could fully understand her. I’m studying several different languages (Spanish, Arabic, and Italian) and trying to figure out ways to communicate your thoughts and feelings to others in a language that isn’t fully your own is overwhelming. I studied abroad in Argentina last semester and I had countless moments where I was talking to someone and I had no idea what they were saying and they had no idea what I was saying. It’s not a good feeling to have, so I can’t imagine what this woman went through everyday, having no one else to converse with. I’m sure she spoke another language of some sort just to communicate with everyone else, but even still, it’s hard to translate between two different languages. You’re always going to lose some part of what you’re trying to say.
I think learning these languages should be an important goal for these different groups. If I had kids and I knew a dying language, I would make sure that they learned it no matter what. I would make sure that it was passed down just like my traditions and other parts of my culture. It’s sad that these people try to pass on their knowledge but no one is interested in learning them anymore. People need to realize that language is a part of their culture and a part of who they are. A lot of people move to the United States and learn English, and then they have kids and their kids are bilingual, but then the next generation will probably only know English. It’s sad that the youth let this happen. They should be proud to know their own language. Language is definitive for everyone. People should take pride in where they come from or at least put in an effort to stop these languages from becoming obsolete.
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This is a very interesting article as well as a very interesting concept. As I initially approached the thought of losing a language, I immediately wondered if that meant that all of the human beings belonging to that certain culture had died. It was as if BBC and others cared more about spurring thoughts about losing a language rather than spurring thoughts about why all of these people were dying off. I quickly came to realize that I was mistaken in my thoughts and that, in fact, these people were living to very old ages. Why then were they the last person to speak the language? Did they not have children? Grandchildren? This also did not seem to be the case. What I then realized was that these losses of languages were a direct result of the extreme globalization of human beings over the past 10-15 years. Being 22 years old and growing up alongside of the internet, I do not really know how the world used to operate. I do know, though, that at any time throughout the day I can communicate with people from China, Africa, or even Iraq thanks to the far reaching hand of the world wide web. Thinking of the world in this way really makes you wonder how truly surprising it is that languages are dying off. Languages, although beautifully tied into the rich essence of culture, are mechanisms that were utilized to communicate and survive. Many of these “dead” languages were never spoken outside of small villages or communities. If descendents of these villages are now integrated into communities where English, Spanish, Mandarin, or any other mainstream language are used by the majority, then their need for the language of their ancestors is very little. As the need for these languages diminish, as does the amount of people who regularly speak it. As Johnny Hill, Jr of the Chemehuevi tribe said, “There's nobody left to talk to, all the elders have passed on, so I talk to myself… that's just how it is." Aside from being very sad, this quote really sums it all up. If the need for the language is gone, it is inevitably going to fizzle away.
One thing I want you to remember is that I find this situation to be very sad and unfortunate. As is the situation of technology and complete globalization which, in a way, inevitably strips human beings of their culture and identity. With globalization and the rapid advancement of technology, humans are no longer reliant on one-on-one contact with other humans, which to me is the real tragedy. The loss of languages is simply a small, early side effect.
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I think it's incredibly interesting that it's even possible for an entire language to die out. How does something like that happen? Which other languages will it happen to? As I recall, Sam mentioned in lecture that sooner or later, we would all simply become so mixed between "races" that we would eventually not be able to tell who is what. Part of me believes that it will also happen with languages one day. Esperanto, a language created by combining already existing languages, is spoken by almost 2 million people world-wide. It is used for business purposes and in some government agencies. A world-wide language would be preferable because we have the means to communicate with others around the globe. We are no longer confined to our own neighborhoods, cities, or countries any longer because of what technology has provided for us. We want to be able to work together and understand one another obviously. However, how much are we willing to compromise to do so?
What I don't fully understand is how this language died out. Why did this woman not teach others this dying language? And if she was the only one in the world that spoke it, how do we know what her words mean? I wonder if another language will cause English to become a dead language as well.
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The loss of language is truly tragic. One of the problems with todays globalizations is the dying of cultures. We humans seem to be moving towards a melting pot world, but some cultural identities are not holding on. For example, even though they have some reservations and other means of living. The native Americans of the united states have been losing their culture for generations. What was once hundred of proud cultures and languages is now down to just a few hundred the wast majority of which are not very well known. The native Americans a re restricted to these reservations that are surrounded by normal united states cities. The children of these cultures have been losing theoir language and cultural identitiys The have been too integrated in that they have lost touch with their native American roots in favor of a white and Christianized society. This is tragic because the native Americans used to be one of the prouydest and most unique cultures on the planet. It is also important not to lump native Americans together as if they are a single race when infatc that represent hundreds of different cultures and ethnoic identities. Unfortunately there is not much we can do to prevent language loss and culture loss in the united tastes and in the rest of the world. WE could form laws to write down these languages but if no one speaks it then who cares it’s a dead langiage like latin. Similarly white America is losing ots culture as well. It used to be that whites weren’t one category either. There were irish, german, English, whatever. Now everyone is just white.
To play devils advocate, maybe this is actually a good thing. Individual cultures have led to tons of war and violence. Perhaps if we keep integrated as we are, some day their will only be one culture and that’s ok with me. In fact I think that may solve many of our problems. I’m running out of time two minutes, oh my god, I gotta type faster, but I suck at typing. Heres 350.
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The topic of language is one very close to my heart. I come from a country that has two official languages and I only spoke both when I was about 5 years old, unfortunately. Then I only spoke the other that came from the country that used to rule over us, but I didn't speak my native language. The language I speak now is Russian and it's a shame that I now speak both Russian and English fluently. I say it's a shame because I speak two languages and neither one of the is my native tongue. Although Russian is considered to be one of our official languages, it still doesn't feel right. I don't feel complete because I don't speak my native tongue and it bothers me to think that I will be the first generation not to pass it on because we moved to the United States. My children will be born and once again they will not speak it because I won't be able to teach it to them. I'll be lucky if they don't refuse to speak Russian at least… I feel like the fact that they won't speak their native tongue will prevent them from better connecting to their roots. I hate to be the one to break the cycle. And the worst part is that they probably need the language even more then I ever did because they will most likely be living in the US, so they will be even more detached from their homeland and therefore need as many connections as they can get. I often wonder whether I should relearn my native language just so that I could teach it to my children and be proud about it… But not just for my pride, but for their sake and their future and identity. But then I wonder how much use our native tongue will be. There aren't a lot of people of our nationality here, so they won;t even be able to use it that much, or it won't help them get a profession… People often make comments about me not speaking my tongue and sometimes it makes me uncomfortable or uneasy, other times I just don't care. They say that I should feel ashamed that I don't speak the language and better yet, that I speak Russian but not my native tongue. I tell them that it's not my fault that I was born into a Russian speaking family and then moved to the US in addition. I tell them that I still have roots and still do feel a connection to my country no matter what. A lot of people also just don't realize that in the city not many people speak the native language at all and I was born and raised in the city. It really isn't my fault and no one should feel shame for me but myself. And honestly, I don't…most of the time.
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I really do think that being able to speak more than one language is beneficial. In the work world today, there are so many types of people out there who speak different languages, so being multilingual is helpful.
I know that applying for jobs, especially in the field of study I am interested in, employers are looking for employees who can speak more than one language.
I do not feel that any one language is better or stronger than another language, but I do know people who get frustrated when they do not understand what someone else is saying.
Sam used the word devastating in his blog, which yes Haiti was, but I would not use that word in describing how the minimization of languages is coming to be.
I can speak two languages and I would love to learn another, but realistically, it is not going to happen any time soon. The two I can speak though, I would not want to be erased from the world.
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Sam, I agree with you wholeheartedly. Kids these days don’t pay attention to the right things. What goes on in most online discussions? Kids all care about Brad Pitt and Angelina’s troubled relationship and why Taylor Swift won the Best Album of the year at the Grammy’s. Honestly, what the hell happened to the focus of the media. There are so many videos on YouTube showing the world how stupid Americans are and the little they know about. However, this is happening all over the world. You might be wondering, Sam, what I’m talking about. You’re right, I’m talking about the shift of attention from real news to the bullshit that surrounds us today called entertainment.
How does this relate to this article? It doesn’t relate directly, but I did some extra research. I went on YouTube and searched for additional videos on the loss of the Bo language. Then I went to search for a video on Taylor Swift at the Grammy’s. Taylor Swift’s top viewed video has almost 3 million more views than Boa Sr’s top viewed video. What is the world thinking? Do people even care about cultures anymore? Does it mean that a no-talent country singer winning an undeserved award is more important than the extinction of a language?
The point of this response is to spark an idea and a platform for thought and reflection. What does it really mean for a language to go extinct. How in the world does a language end up only being known to one woman? I thought about this and I guess there was either a mass genocide or that Bo was just a dialect that went out of vogue and became irrelevant to the people of that area.
What is the most intriguing to me is that she was the one and only remaining speaker. She probably learned a secondary language, but think about this. What was it like for her to have a whole language, a whole complex form of communication in her brain that had no practical use? No one left on this planet understood her when she spoke Bo. How would you feel if you were in her shoes. If it were me, I would crave so badly to be understood. I would probably go crazy and speak to myself all day just so I could preserve this language. Then again, what is the point of preserving a language if no one else can understand it. Languages are in existence for the sole purpose of communication, so preserving a dead language really doesn’t do much unless we find some artifacts or tablets with Bo writing on it.
So what is the purpose of this Bo language in the end? It has no purpose, unless you have to solve a mystery or understand something from the past. There is no need to mourn, but news like this is worthy of your time and should be thought provoking.
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It is hard to hear Sam's statistic that over half of the world's current 7,000 language will be gone by the time twenty of us are dead. That really is not that long for an entire language and therefore culture to no longer exist. A language is more than the words spoken from someone's mouth, it is their entire life, all of their customs, and the culture they have learned so well by their elders. I also speak a good bit of Hebrew, and learning that language has really connected me to other Jews in America, Israel, and anywhere else the Jewish culture might be practiced. It was a big deal to study abroad in Israel and learn this ancient language that is the roots of my identity. Even though this language has been spoken for an incredibly long time, imagining just the abrupt end of it is heart wrenching. It has so much personal significance for me and I could not imagine if more people and future generations would no longer be speaking Hebrew words. Language really makes up who people are and identifies where they have come from and what they have been through. Losing the Bo language eliminates an entire piece of the puzzle if anyone were to go back and study the Bo tribe. The video from the article was so sad to hear this woman singing her words, her people's words, not knowing some day they would never be spoken again. Although, while I was watching the clip, I could not help but to wonder why she did not make a point of continuing the language. The words on the screen, were they a translation of what she was saying? If so, how did they know, because if they did does that not mean that there are still speakers of the Bo language? Even if she wrote down her language, in a way that maybe can teach new people how to speak the Bo language would prevent the sudden end to the Bo tribe. The Bo tribe has been around for 65,000 years. That is an incredibly large amount of time for an entire culture to be forgotten with the passing of its final member. This obviously is not the first time this has happened, and there certainly is not much we can do about it. But I do think it is important to know about things like this that happen. There is nothing we can do about half of today's languages that will be gone by the time we are dead. But it is certain that when one language dies, another one will be formed, creating an entirely new culture to will have its own 65,000 years in existence.
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I feel that it is a very positive thing that we are losing languages. That means that people are now all speaking similar languages, which means the differences in our cultures is dying out slowly but surely. Yes, it is kind of sad that we are losing so many different pieces of cultures that we have never known and now never will know, but also it is a happy thing to me that we are all coming together and closing in on the gap that has shaped our cultures for years and years.
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I agree I do feel slightly disturbed that a form a communication is dead. I just look at it like this language that people have spoken will never be understood ever again. Just think of all the memories that have been lost an all the people that have been forgotten, could you imagine if we stopped speaking English. No one would ever remember who we are and what we have accomplished in this world. Its weird to think that if I died so did everything I put into this world and my whole life may go unnoticed. It really does make you think
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As a speaker who can speak Korean, which is a language that most of the people in the world do not know how to speak, I kind of feel for Sam. To tell you the truth, I do not feel sad or something about the last speaker as much as Sam does. However, it is for sure that I do not feel OK either. The word last always means something in every situation. In relationships, friendships, or even in these kinds of sociological situations, the word last make us think deeper and more sentimentally. Maybe that is why I do not feel OK when I read this blog and BBC News article.
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I think this article is really interesting and I have never really thought about languages and how they can actually die out. At first I was like, who cares, it is not that big of a deal- there is just one less language in the world. But after reading the article, there is a lot more than that. No, it is not an issue that will significantly affect us, but it is something to think about and it is just very interesting. If anything, like Sam said, it is just a sentimental issue. Maybe I am just too much of a girl and I think it is sad that no one will hear the Bo Language again and the many languages across the world that are dying out. Yet, the article said some very true things. Since no one has learned these people’s language, no one will ever know their history and background. Language carries so much importance and because of language we are more easily able to share knowledge with one another. If languages are dying out, we will never be able to learn about the history of some tribes or areas or groups of people. We will never learn about their myths, feats, or rituals. This is a sad issue because it is just like forgetting a group of people ever existed. Also, the article talks about how when we understand forgotten languages, we are taught their language and learn to understand what they experienced. It says, “As the last speakers converse, they spin individual strands in a vast web of knowledge, a noosphere of possibilities. They tell how their ancestors calculated accurately the passing of seasons without clocks or calendars. How humans adapted to hostile environments, from the Arctic to Amazonia.” Since languages are being lost and forgotten, people will never be able to learn about people who inhabited our world before us, learn how they survived, what they learned, and what went on in their lives. This is something that I think would benefit us. Of course, if no one cares about learning someone’s language, it is not going to happen and things will be lost and forgotten, and the world will still continue to go round and we will still continue to advance and happily live our lives. But, like Sam said, there is some sentimental value to knowing that languages and people will be long forgotten and never fully understood because their ancestors did not care to learn their language and carry on their memories, traditions, knowledge, or stories. I think we would be better off to at least gain some knowledge of these random languages, but then again, if people do not care, they will not do anything about it.
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Language is something that I never gave that much thought towards because it was always just been there. It’s crazy to think that a language can just disappear like that. Until now the only language I knew which was known as the language of the dead was Latin. Although after reading this article and seeing that clip it really hits me how crazy it is that languages disappear and never reemerge. That might sound dumb but it in a way blows my mind that something that has been around for so long can just be gone like that. This occurred by just one person passing away. The thing that I’m stuck on is that did this woman not have any relatives that she could teach this to, so that this wouldn’t have happened? I understand that maybe her death wasn’t known prior and it was sudden. But she was an older woman that has been around speaking this same language, so how did no one pick up on it? Just think if this were to happen to the English language, in the future there could be another dominant language that pushes English to the side and eventually fizzles out. That’s crazy it will be right there next to the Bo and Latin language.
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I came across this article a few days ago on my own and thought about this because it is very weird to think that this particular language will never be spoken again—at least by a native of the language. It’s strange to think that the entire population that spoke a language has been wiped out. If this were the case for another language, such as English or Spanish, which would probably never happen, people would be fully aware. It is very sad that an entire language will no longer be practiced because of one woman who has passed away. I understand that the language was not widespread, but knowing that people used to speak this language, and now it is gone is alarming and quite disturbing.
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I guess I never really took the time to think about the extinction of an entire language. I did not even know that was possible. Aren’t there scriptures and other records of the language that people can still speak if they wanted? I do not know how that works but it really is something interesting and strange to think about. It is not something I have ever heard about, and it’s cool that it came to my attention now. Does this mean that English may one day no longer exist? Or does the fact that we have so many records of it prevent that from happening?
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I can’t even imagine being the last person alive speaking a certain language. The fact that half of today's known languages will be extinct by the time we die is crazy to think about. This article was very interesting to see how lives are affected and how people's entire culture seem to come to an end if a language dies. However, I also believe that we are lucky that we speak English and that it is one of the most spoken languages in the world. More and more people are stopping to speak their original language and starting to pick up newer more popular ones, which is usually English. This could be due to all the ways of communication and advanced technology like computers, cell phones, and television. Years ago individuals would usually only talk to people around them geographically. All these people would speak the same language, so there was really no need to try to learn another language. A great amount of Native American's culture, lifestyle, beliefs, heritage, and history from the beginning of existence have died and with no living heir left to carry on the tradition and the language. It is said how a Native American tribe and a Bo language will never be heard again. It is a shame that languages like Boa Sr.'s are becoming lost, and there must people who are trying to preserve these languages before they are lost forever. This article was also kind of upsetting because so many of those cultural ideas were never written down. They were simply passed on only by oral tradition. Their beliefs and traditions are now never going to be heard of again. Language is the first thing you learn as a child and will remain that way because of the importance of communicating to others. It is truly unique if you speak another language, however I can see how in today’s society that could make communication very difficult. Everyone wants to speak the most superior language in order to get ahead in society. I think most people overlook how language is the extremely important to understanding different cultures. I can't imagine how it must feel to have one's language and culture die along with you.
I think that language is a very important role in all of society. It's what brings cultures together and to unite so we can all be in understanding of each other. It is difficult to succeed in any country where the most popular language is not what you were raised to learn. Personally, I am not sure what we can do to prevent other languages from becoming extinct. Hopefully some people will hear about this and realize how important it is to pass down their languages if they are in danger of becoming extinct.
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I think that this article is really eye opening. It is such a shame that all of this history, even from this one language, has been laid to rest. I have a hard time even thinking about what may happen one day when my native language, English, is gone. Hopefully, however, that wont be for a very long time. It is hard to believe that this Bo language isn't going to be ever spoken again. I often wonder why there isn't a scripture of this language or why this lady that just died didn't teach it to anyone in her community, because she knew she was going to die someday. She was 85 years old when she died and her people the Bo tribe had been around for 65,000 years. That is a crazy amount of time for a culture to set in and then with the blink of an eye, its gone. As people hear the news of this language dying and how it will continue to happen in the future, by saying that by the time I'm gone, another 7,000 languages will be too! It’s easy enough to say well let’s just teach the next generation and they can pass it on, but the world is different now and clearly that’s easier said than done. It was even more upsetting to read about how Johnny tried to teach to the rest of the tribe but he just can’t because “they say they want to learn it, but when it comes time to do the work, nobody comes around”. Unfortunately, as sad as it was to read that, I completely believe it, people are lazy. I myself would say I have an interest in learning this language, but would not really dedicate myself to it, but then when the last person speaking it dies, I would feel shameful. People seem to care less and less about culture and our ancestors and history and more about the future, which leads me to believe that this article is just another reason to believe that as technology continues to grow, the importance of culture in our society just dwindles. The rapid growth of technology is sort of devastating because it’s clear there is so much out there to learn but everyone just is stuck on their own little technologically advanced worlds.
It’s just sad to think that all those people who spoke the Bo language were never able to spread their culture and teach others about their lives and their history for future generations, this is something, that if I knew about before, I would have been very interested in.
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I think this is extremely interesting and something that we do not often think about. Throughout the course of history, this problem happens time and time again. Cultures become extinct as they assimilate into the majority and with that, go their customs and languages. It can be traced back to the bible times, when there were empires from Egypt or Italy, and even further. As these large powers overtook smaller nations, they wiped out the individualism and put their own customs in place.
As the world changes and becomes more modern, cultures either grow into what is happening or risk becoming extinct. They are forced to develop or be left behind. With them goes their individuality and stories that can only be expressed in their native language. As these cultures are essentially “left in the dust”, so are their stories, contributions, and learnings.
We often forget that where we come from as a society, came from the cultures before us. Without their influences, the world would be dramatically different than what it is today. Although American society is not directly related to the Egyptians, because of their developments, we are able to live the lives we live.
Granted there really isn’t much anyone can do about it. This is how the world operates and has operated for thousands of years. Societies become extinct and a part of history and new ones develop from the ones that exist. This is just how it works and how things evolve. Nothing can stay forever, everything is always changing
It is interesting to relate this to the story of the Tower of Babble and how it is theorized that all these languages were formed. In this story, there were many people trying to build a tower and there was a communication problem that caused the tower to fall. Because of this, God gave everyone their own language so they could not communicate as the tower fell. Naturally, the version I am telling of this story is off because I am not well-versed. But that is the basic gist of the story. Could it be possible that the languages are gradually going back to one distinct language that we will see in a few thousand years? That would be interesting to see.
Perhaps one day, all the languages will roll-up and transform into a new language with elements from each. English with Spanish and some Chinese here and there. Who knows? It’s possible.
I do think its great that before this woman died, she was studied and her words were recorded. At least there is a record of this language and of what it meant to these people. It may be lost, but never forgotten.
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The issue of languages disappearing throughout the world is one which I have mixed feeling about. On one hand, if all people spoke the same language, communication would be unhampered and many cultural walls and barriers held up by language differences would come crashing down. However, language holds special significance for its speakers, whose ancestors’ ways of life and integral cultural practices are deeply seeded in its roots.
Language is a means to communicate and exchange information about our surroundings our world, and our lives. If you want to know what a culture was like and what it valued and prized, you need only to look at the culture’s language. For example, the farming Haunoo people of the Philippines have words to describe 10 standard and 30 derivative types of soil. This allows them to communicate information in distinct ways that we, lacking these descriptors, cannot. With all of the significance and distinct cultural information embedded into the essence of each language we cannot allow them to simply disappear. The push towards globalization has not spared language. In fact, they are disappearing at a rate of one every two weeks! When you think about this, it is an absolutely staggering statistic. Many of the languages have survived for thousands upon thousands of years and are know dying out, leaving these languages and the people who spoke them covered in a cloak of obscurity. While many of these languages probably are “unnecessary” and do not need to be spoken or used daily, it is our responsibility to learn what we can from them before they are gone, and along with them, our opportunity.
While language holds much significance and information, much of this can be adapted and retained without holding on to the actual language itself. Global interaction between people of different nations, ethnicities and language groups has never taken place at such a high rate of speed or efficiency. However, it has been taking place since the beginning of civilization, and the ease of intercommunication we see today is partly the result of competition between languages spoken by these interacting civilizations. Since the average language is spoken by only 6,000 people, it is good to have languages like Spanish and English with large speaking bases to facilitate international trade and business.
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I am really touched by this story. It made me think of all the millions of different dialects that there must be in our world, and how each one developed and integrated with other dialects to form new ones. It is pretty cool. I am bilingual and the language from my relative’s hometown is really old. It is sad to say, but I think that within a few decades it is going to be in a steady state of decline. More people are beginning to speak English – which on the one hand is great because it can bring everyone together, but at the same time is deadly to the other dialects which are already dying.
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