Should we rescue endangered languages?

[Angrboda]

I recently listened to a webcast about how Alaska has made some of its native languages official state languages, in an effort to promote efforts to conserve languages that are in danger of becoming extinct.

Is there a point to spending money to save a language from becoming extinct?

[Diablo]

Good question. I suppose it helps to provide a sense of identity for the people. I'm thinking of Welsh, Gaelic, Basque, Catalan etc.

As long as it's not my money though....

[Autumnlicious]

If we thoroughly understood linguistics so well we could create new languages that encompass the unique characteristics of extinct and soon to be extinct languages, then they're not worth saving.

Since the above conditional is false, it stands to reason that attempting to preserve/archive some of the near extinct languages would further assist our understanding of linguistics at a future date.

As with everything, it depends.

I prefer to keep some things rather than lose all of it and then discover it could've been useful or contributed to our knowledge base.

[Violet]

I recently listened to a webcast about how Alaska has made some of its native languages official state languages, in an effort to promote efforts to conserve languages that are in danger of becoming extinct.

Is there a point to spending money to save a language from becoming extinct?

It's kind of silly... but then, it's also kind of sad that their languages are almost completely gone.

Depends on the language and how many arts and how much history is behind it.

[Napoléon]

I'm not sure I get why preserving a language would necessarily teach us any more about linguistics or be beneficial at all.

[Welsh cake]

No. The Welsh language is a f**king burden on our economy and waste of resources.

Scrap it. Reopen the mines. Build wind farms. Tell the cronies of Margaret Thatcher in Westminster to fuck off.

Declare independence from bloody England.

And then. Wake up.

Because you're living a fantasy where you think anything in reality should ever work properly or fair.

[vorlon13]

English is good enough for God and Jesus, why save any other language ??

[Diablo]

No. The Welsh language is a f**king burden on our economy and waste of resources.

Scrap it. Reopen the mines. Build wind farms. Tell the cronies of Margaret Thatcher in Westminster to fuck off.

Declare independence from bloody England.

And then. Wake up.

Because you're living a fantasy where you think anything in reality should ever work properly or fair.

I agree.

Mines are uneconomic. Wind farms good. Yes, yes!!

Yeah, piss off.

Sleep is better.

Honest words.

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

Cé nach bhfuil aon rud cearr bunúsach le teangacha a chaomhnú, ní a lán de phointe oiread. Go leor nó an chuid is mó teangacha a bhfuil dóthain litríochta mar a dhéanamh ar iarrachtaí ar leith a chaomhnú moot orthu.

Is í an Ghaeilge ar an mbealach chun bheith ina teanga marbh, ach níl neart scríofa marthain ársa agus lár na hÉireann a chaomhnú cad is gá a bheith.


Boru

[Dystopia]

I recently listened to a webcast about how Alaska has made some of its native languages official state languages, in an effort to promote efforts to conserve languages that are in danger of becoming extinct.

Is there a point to spending money to save a language from becoming extinct?

In my opinion yes, it's cultural patrimony, and culture doesn't really have a price even though we attribute it frequently. If the portuguese language was endangered, I'd be happy people spent money to save it, and I'd do the same for any other language.

"A minha pátria é a língua portuguesa"

Of course this depends, if there is only one or two speakers and the language is virtually useless, it should be recorded for others to learn but it doesn't mean we should preserve it.