Language is the most necessary tool in our life.To date, the world has about six thousand languages. According to UNESCO in the near future, about half of them may lose their last carriers, and therefore completely disappear. It is important to note that languages go not only in the modern world, because even in the distant past it happened that they did not leave a trace.
Classification of underused languages
What languages are classified as endangered?Of course, those that are still used in society, but can disappear in the near future. So, scientists have developed a fairly clear classification, which divides the less used languages into the following groups:
- Extinct languages characterized by the absolute exclusion of carriers.
- Languages that are on the verge of eradication arethe rarest in the whole world, therefore the number of their carriers is extremely small (as a rule, it does not exceed a dozen). In addition, elderly people living in rural areas speak such languages.
- Disappearing languages are characterized by a sufficient number of carriers (from several hundred to tens of thousands) of the elderly. Children and adolescents are not categorically trained in such languages.
- Dysfunctional languages that use about a thousand people. Nevertheless, children are still learning these languages, but to a minimum.
- Unstable languages, at any time able to move to another group. It is important to note that they are used by people of absolutely all ages and statuses, although the languages have no official fixation.
To which group does the particular language belong?
To the joy or regret, list of endangered languages is rich enough that it requirestheir classification. It should be noted that to determine a specific language group it is important not how many speakers use a particular language, but the trend of its transmission to the next generation. If the children are not taught the language, then it can easily go from the final group to the "extinct languages".
In 2009, the newest version was developed"The Atlas of the World's Endangered Languages," which shows disappointing information that about 2,500 languages of the world are threatened with extinction today (in 2001 this figure was almost three times less, then only 900 languages were in such a situation). It is important to note that the endangered languages of the peoples of Russia today number 131 units in their grouping. In addition, the population census data show that the number of small nationalities is reduced by a couple of dozen each year. But the nationality includes the corresponding language!
Endangered languages of Russia: Kerek
With the advent of modern civilizationThere is an active assimilation of people of different cultural backgrounds. Thus, many nationalities are gradually being eradicated from the face of the earth. Of course, their rare representatives try to preserve and even pass on the traditions and customs of their people to future generations, which is not always the case.
Today in the Kerek language only twoperson (in accordance with the last census). Kereks (they often call themselves Ankalgakku) is a very small ethnic group of the North, which lives in the Bering District of the Chukotka Autonomous District. The language in question had never had a written language - it was communicated exclusively in family circles. To date, almost five thousand Kerek words have been preserved. The history of this people has a 3000-year history. It all started with living in conditions of natural isolation, followed by migration to chopped zones (the 20th century). Kereks formed separate families in some villages of Chukotka. In addition, they underwent assimilation with another small nationality - the Chukchi.
Udege language as one of the smallest
Annually extinct languages Russia is actively replenishing its ranks.So, to date, the Udege language is spoken by no more than a hundred people. This language is distributed in the territory of the Khabarovsk and Primorye Territories of the Russian Federation. It has some signs of the languages of the northern group, therefore it is very similar to the Oroch language. The Udege language in our time is used only by elderly people and solely for the purposes of everyday communication between themselves. It is important to note that young people do not know their native language (this includes all people under 40). Currently, several of its dialects are singled out, among which the most famous are the choir, Bikin, and also the Samargin. Thus, the nature of the grammar and syntax of their similar, but in terms of vocabulary and phonetics, you can observe significant differences. However, in the process of migration, their leveling is carried out. It is important to note that the language in question has a written language, which can be proved by the formation of the corresponding alphabet based on the Latin alphabet by E. R. Schneider.
Water language
Which languages are extinct, and which are on the verge of extinction?Over time, this issue worries the society more and more. And this is not surprising, because the human desire to preserve the native language as long as possible is an adequate response to the situation of our time.
Water language belonging to the Baltic-Finnishgrouping of the Uralic language family, is endangered, because to date there are no more than twenty of its carriers. One of the language classifications provides information that the vodka language, together with the Estonian and Liv languages, forms the southern subgroup. This dialect is represented by several dialects, divided into western dialects, common in rural settlements of Krokolje, Luzhitsy and Peski, and eastern ones, taking place in the Koporye region. It should be noted that the differences between these dialects are insignificant. The first grammar of the water language was formed back in the 19th century, and after another century Dmitry Tsvetkov from the village of Krakolje created a water grammar already in his native language.
The Sami Languages
Today endangered languages of the world there are many elements in their series, whereshould be attributed and a group of Sami languages, also called Lapar and related to Finno-Ugric. Their carriers are the Sami, or Lapps (the first definition, as a rule, sounds differently in different groups of Saami in different ways and serves as a Russified term, and the second is one of the variants of names). Among the population under consideration are languages such as uume, pyte, luule, inari, slidish, Babin, Kildin, Tersk and many others. It should be noted that the number of speakers of the Sami languages around the world is very significant (more than 53,000 people). Nevertheless, no more than twenty people practice such an original talk in the territory of the Russian Federation. In addition, these people, as it turned out, most of them speak Russian. Phonetics and phonology of the Sami language group is characterized by an increased level of complexity, because often words contain long and short vowels and consonants, as well as diphthongs and triphthongs.
What is the reason for the disappearance of languages and how to preserve your native language?
As it turned out, in the modern world extinct languages constitute a significant problem thatenjoys increased public attention. In addition, the forecasts show that the trend of extinction of languages will only increase, because the emergence of innovative technologies is rapidly leading to a disappointing conclusion: national minorities are making more and more efforts to recognize their native languages, but often to no avail. This is due to the active development of the Internet. Naturally, a person is unlikely to take seriously the language that is not represented on the World Wide Web.
Thus, for preservation and prosperityof his native language, he needs to pay much attention, because it is he who serves as a tool for communication, reflection and perception, and also fully characterizes the vision of the overall world picture. Native language fully reflects the relationship between the past, the present and the future, moreover, it is a means of expressing creativity. All the above facts serve as the maximum motivation for the society with regard to the desire for active use, preservation for the longest period, and also a high-quality transfer to the next generation of their native language.
