Our Languages Are Under Threat

::By C. LALREMRUATA::
Director, Zo Indigenous Forum

According to UNESCO’s Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger of Disappearing 2009 which was released on 17th February 2009, Worldwide distribution of languages included in the Atlas by level of endangerment are as:

Unsafe 607,
Definitely endangered 632,
Severely endangered 502,
Critically endangered 538,
Extinct (since the 1950s) 219.

Total of languages referenced in the Atlas 2498

And the Indian situation is:
Unsafe 84
Definitely endangered 62
Severely endangered 6
Critically endangered 35
Extinct (since the 1950s) 9
Total of languages referenced in the Atlas 196

This data states that around 2,500 (2,498 language) of the 6,000 languages spoken worldwide as endangered. Among this endangered language listed 196 languages are form India, a nation with great linguistic diversity, tops the UNESCO’s list of countries having maximum number of dialects on the verge of extinction. India is closely followed by the US which stands to lose 192 languages and Indonesia, where 147 are in peril.



It further adds that nearly 200 languages have fewer than 10 speakers and 178 others have between 10 and 50 speakers. It reveals that over 200 languages used in the world have died out over the last three generations, 538 are critically endangered, 502 severely endangered, 632 definitely endangered and 607 unsafe.

From this India country, the Zo language threatened to extinct are 13 (which is 6.63%), they are - Mizo, Bawm, Hrangkhawl, Paite, Thado, Hmar, Anal, Aimawl, Mara, Gangte, Kawm, Chawte, Tarau, among them Tarau language is termed as extint language, therefore all the Zo language are almost in great danger. Not only from this, one of the Zo language, Ralte is also at the tip of endangered, from among the Ralte people, little people know this language.

India is in favour of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples adopted, so it need to take steps for the protection and promotion of the Zo Indigenous language, which is threatened to extinct.

Courtesy: ZIF