The Spirit of International Mother Language Day

It is estimated that around 7,000 languages are being spoken in the world today! Surprised? Yeah, you heard it right. Its 7,000! A big number. These languages are diversified in the context of their distinctive sounds, possible words, structures and the meanings they convey. An amazing thing of human existence. Right?

Language forms an integral part of our identity, not to mention its importance in communication in our day-to-day lives. Being able to talk, write or read in our mother tongue is surely a blessing! After all, thats the language were taught when we took our first breath in this world. We feel, express, live through that language. You can also have more than one language that you consider your own and find your heart rooted there. And thats beautiful!

But do you know that the language diversity is dying with each passing day? About 35% of the world language is seriously endangered. Language endangerment is a matter of degree. There are two major dimensions of language use- Users and Functions. Some of the factors associated with analyzing language endangerment include- speaker population, stability and trends of that population, their migration pattern and use of second language, age range of speakers, domains of use of the language, official recognition of languages within the nation or region, non-linguistic factors such as economic opportunity or the lack thereof and even natural disasters etc.

Interestingly, 6% of the world's languages are spoken by 94% of the world's population. Also 133 languages are spoken by fewer than 10 people in the world !!!

When we lose a language, we lose vast cultural heritage, expression of relationship, originality of many communities, their literature and history of hundreds and thousands of years. For many linguists, languages are not simply a collection of words. They are living, breathing organisms holding the connections and relations that define a culture. When a language becomes extinct, the culture in which it lived is lost too.

It is estimated that 50% of the world language will extinct in the next 100 years! This is alarming. International Mother Language Day celebrates the diversity of world languages and peoples right to express themselves in their own language, in every possible way. It is important to understand the alarm of endangered languages. Otherwise the languages which are thriving today, may even become endangered in the coming centuries.

Greetings of International Mother Language Day to all. May you all remain blessed with the language of your heart. Always!