Should we rescue endangered languages?

[Jenny A]

This was largely my point. Irish is dying (a map of the Gaeltacht show that quite clearly), but there is a sufficiency of Irish literature (both ancient and middle) available for anyone who wants to learn Irish. The only reason to make a concerted effort to restore Irish as a living language is as a poke on the eye to the English. But the efforts to eradicate Irish failed utterly and completely, and I don't see any purpose to be served by posting road signs in Irish, publishing textbooks in Irish, etc.

Boru

I'm with you there. I feel the same about Native American languages and the French Creole spoken in Louisiana. They shouldn't be eradicated, but no effort should be made to preserve them as living languages if they are dying a natural death.