It's not a well-liked view, but I'm very glad that humanity is on the path to speaking only a few languages (or perhaps just one).
If you disagree, consider this thought experiment: Imagine if the entire world spoke a single language. Would we ever want to invent new languages, making mutual communication harder? It would be silly.
I do feel for the speakers of these dying tongues, but in the long run, this is a good thing. Do you feel stunted or unsatisfied because your ancestors didn't pass their native tongues down to you? I don't. And most people don't realize how great a cost we pay for having so many languages. Ideally, linguists and historians would document these languages and their cultures, then let them quietly fade. Teaching them to new generations is not only a futile effort, it's less beneficial on net.
If you disagree, consider this thought experiment: Imagine if the entire world spoke a single language. Would we ever want to invent new languages, making mutual communication harder? It would be silly.
I do feel for the speakers of these dying tongues, but in the long run, this is a good thing. Do you feel stunted or unsatisfied because your ancestors didn't pass their native tongues down to you? I don't. And most people don't realize how great a cost we pay for having so many languages. Ideally, linguists and historians would document these languages and their cultures, then let them quietly fade. Teaching them to new generations is not only a futile effort, it's less beneficial on net.