Languages Can Go Extinct Too—Here’s Why It Matters

When we think of extinction, our minds often go to dinosaurs, dodo birds, and woolly mammoths—species that have vanished from the earth. But extinction isn’t limited to the animal kingdom. Languages, too, face the threat of disappearing forever.

Of the roughly 7,000 languages spoken today, the majority are at risk. Around 90% of these languages have fewer than 100,000 speakers, and some are down to just one last fluent person. When that final speaker passes away, the language is considered extinct. But how does a language reach this point? Why do languages die, and what does it mean for the world when they do?

How Languages Die

Languages don’t disappear overnight. Much like endangered species, they decline in stages, sometimes fading gradually, other times vanishing rapidly due to external pressures. The most common reasons for language loss include:

• Language Shift: Over generations, communities may abandon their native tongue in favor of a more dominant language, often for social, economic, or political reasons. For example, Manx, the Celtic language of the Isle of Man, nearly vanished as English became the preferred language for work and education.
• Cultural and Political Suppression: Governments and institutions have historically suppressed minority languages. In Chile, the indigenous language Ckunsa was discouraged in favor of Spanish, leading to its decline.
• Migration and Urbanization: As speakers move to cities, they often adopt the dominant language of their new environment, leaving behind their ancestral tongue.
• Genocide and Natural Disasters: The rapid loss of speakers due to war, disease, or environmental catastrophes can lead to the sudden extinction of a language. The indigenous Tasmanian languages, for example, disappeared following the violent colonial history of Australia.

The Impact of Language Loss

When a language dies, it takes with it a unique way of understanding the world. Languages carry cultural heritage, traditional knowledge, and unique perspectives that are irreplaceable. The Seri people of Mexico, for instance, have an intricate vocabulary related to eelgrass, a plant with significant ecological and agricultural importance. If their language disappeared, so would centuries of environmental knowledge.

Language extinction can also impact social identity and community well-being. Studies suggest that indigenous groups maintaining their languages experience stronger cultural cohesion and even improved health outcomes.

Can a Language Be Revived?

Although most lost languages remain dormant or extinct, some have made incredible comebacks. Hebrew, once considered a dead language used only in religious texts, was successfully revitalized in the 19th and 20th centuries and now has millions of native speakers. Similarly, Cornish and Manx, once declared extinct, have seen renewed interest through language revival programs.

Dedicated individuals and communities can make a difference. Cristina Calderón, the last native speaker of Yaghan in Chile, spent her life recording stories and teaching others in the hope of preserving her language. Likewise, Eyak, an Alaskan indigenous language, gained new life when a French linguist, Guillaume Leduey, taught himself the language and worked alongside community members to reintroduce it.

Why It Matters

It’s estimated that nearly half of today’s languages could disappear within the next century—roughly one every two weeks. The loss of a language is more than just the disappearance of words; it’s the erasure of history, traditions, and human connections. Protecting endangered languages isn’t just about preserving the past—it’s about ensuring the diversity of voices that shape our collective future.

By supporting language learning, cultural initiatives, and linguistic documentation, we can help prevent more languages from fading into silence. Every language, no matter how small its speaker base, holds a world of knowledge worth saving.

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