speaking in tongues

Lost languages may be old news for many of us. Or we may just be too distracted rejoicing over English as the universal language.

Fueled by the popularity and accessibility of the internet when instead we should be more vigilant about preserving linguistic diversity.

A still from El Primo Amanecer, a short film narrated in Huichol, an indigenous language of Mexico that UNESCO classifies as "vulnerable." The film will be shown as part of a Smithsonian festival about endangered languages this week. (Courtesy Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage)

In February 2017, Kat Eschner published an article in the Smithsonian magazine on what happens when a language is lost.

1. We lose “The expression of a unique vision of what it means to be human”

Languages have naturally risen and fallen in prominence throughout history. What makes this different is the rate at which it’s happening and the number of languages disappearing throughout the world.

2. We lose memory of the planet’s many histories and cultures.

When people settle in a new place, they begin a new life, complete with new surroundings, new traditions, and, yes, a new language.

3. We lose some of the best local resources for combating environmental threats.

Indigenous languages and their speakers are rich sources of information about the world around them and the plants and animals in the area where they live. In a time of mass extinction, that knowledge is especially precious.

4. Some people lose their mother tongue.

The real tragedy of all this might just be all of the people who find themselves unable to speak their first language, the language they learned how to describe the world in.

Many now find their language in grave danger as the result of a campaign by government to stamp out their cultures. Will we have to resort to glossolalia instead? Fluidly vocalizing speechlike syllables that lack comprehended meaning? 

What can be done about all this? Educate yourself, to start with. The Smithsonian's annual Mother Tongue Film Festival takes place every February in Washington, D.C. 

Projects like National Geographic's "Enduring Voices" are a great place to learn about endangered languages and their many speakers, and UNESCO's own website is another resource.  There's still hope for some of these languages if we pay attention.