When Languages Die: The Extinction of the World's Languages and the Erosion of Human Knowledge

Science News,  Feb 10, 2007  

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WHEN LANGUAGES DIE: The Extinction of the World's Languages and the Erosion of Human Knowledge K. DAVID HARRISON

Close to half the world's languages will disappear when their current speakers die, writes linguist Harrison. A specialist in Siberian Turkic languages, Harrison describes the nature of this phenomenon and considers the impact it will have on humanity. He explains that all the speakers of 3,586 languages make up only 0.2 percent of the world's population. Most of the people doing so are in isolated, indigenous cultures, such as the Ifugao people of Indonesia and the Tofa people of Siberia. After examining how these diverse populations in unusual corners of the world have over millennia named plants and animals, the author ponders whether significant knowledge about these species is being lost with their names. Both written and oral traditions of storytelling are suffering. Oxford, 2007, 292 p., b&w images, hardcover, $29.95.

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