16 of the Most Endangered Languages in the World

There are over 7,000 documented languages currently spoken around the world. However, that number is expected to steadily decline in the coming years.

Australia National University conducted a study in 2021 on endangered languages. While around half of the world's 7,000 recognised languages are currently endangered, it is estimated that approximately 1,500 of these endangered languages could no longer be spoken by the end of the century. In this article, we explore some of the languages that are expected to disappear by the end of the century and the cultures we will be losing with them.

Ainu

The Ainu language is a critically endangered language primarily spoken by the Ainu people in Japan. Historically, the Ainu people lived in the northern regions of Japan, particularly Hokkaido, and parts of the Russian Far East.

The Ainu language has been under serious threat due to a long history of assimilation policies by the Japanese government, which aimed to suppress Ainu culture and language. The Ainu population was marginalised, and speaking their native tongue was actively discouraged in favour of Japanese. As a result, the number of fluent Ainu speakers has dwindled, and the language is now critically endangered. The language is believed to be spoken by only a handful of elderly people, approximately 10, who belong to the Ainu community.

Irish

The Irish language, also known as Gaeilge, is one of the official languages of the Republic of Ireland and holds a special place in the nation's history and cultural identity. However, the Irish language faces the challenge of endangerment due to historical factors and language shifts.

For centuries, Ireland experienced colonisation and British rule, during which the use of English was encouraged while the speaking of Irish was suppressed. This historical context, coupled with the dominance of English globally, has led to a decline in native Irish speakers, especially in urban areas and among younger generations.

In recent years, the government has implemented plans to revitalise the language, including educational initiatives, bringing it back to be taught in schools.

Scottish Gaelic

Scottish Gaelic, also known as Gàidhlig, is primarily spoken in Scotland, as well as in immigrant communities in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island in Canada. Like many minority languages, Scottish Gaelic is endangered due to a complex interplay of historical and sociocultural factors.

Gaelic was the principal language of Scotland; however, rebellions in the 17th and 18th centuries resulted in it being persecuted. By 1972, it was essentially banned in schools nationwide due to the Education Scotland Act. This led to a significant decline in native speakers, with older generations being the primary preservers of the language. Although efforts have been made to promote Scottish Gaelic in recent years, including its inclusion in primary schools and their corresponding high schools, the number of fluent speakers remains relatively low.

The language is considered endangered, and its survival depends on continued revitalisation efforts and the transmission of the language to younger generations.

Cappadocian Greek

Cappadocian Greek, or Cappadocian, was historically spoken in the region of Cappadocia in central Turkey, which was once home to a thriving Greek community. However, it is now on the brink of extinction. Cappadocian Greek's endangerment can be traced back to the late 19th century when a significant population exchange took place between Greece and Turkey, leading to the dispersal of the Greek-speaking population.

It was discovered in the early 2000s that the language had gone underground with elderly speakers in Larissa and Thessaloniki. Today, there are 1,000 – 2,000 speakers of this language, making it a critically endangered language under UNESCO, meaning it can become fully extinct in our lifetime.

Rapa Nui

The Rapa Nui language is used on Easter Island, a volcanic island in the South Pacific Ocean. It is the native language of the Rapa Nui people, who are indigenous to the island. Despite its unique cultural and historical significance, Rapa Nui is a critically endangered language, with less than 3,400 native speakers left.

The language's endangerment is primarily due to the geographical isolation of Easter Island, which has limited interactions with the outside world. As a result, the younger generations on the island are increasingly exposed to and using Spanish, the dominant language of Chile (Easter Island is a Chilean territory), for education and daily communication. This shift towards Spanish has diminished the use of Rapa Nui among the island's residents, making it more common on special occasions and cultural events rather than everyday life.

Saami

Saami, often called Sami or Saami, is a family of Uralic languages spoken by the Saami people, who primarily inhabit the northern regions of Scandinavia, including Norway, Sweden, Finland, and parts of Russia.

The Saami languages, with their rich linguistic diversity, are endangered as a result of the historical assimilation and suppression of Saami culture and languages by national governments, particularly in Norway and Sweden. This led to the discouragement of Saami-speaking and the adoption of dominant national languages. There are around 25,000 – 35,000 speakers of this group of languages left in these Northern regions.

One of the Saami languages, Ter Sami, is nearly extinct with only 30 native speakers worldwide. Ume Sami, which also belongs to this family of languages, is moribund, with approximately 20 speakers. It is spoken in the Ume River Valley, an area encompassing parts of northern Sweden and Norway. It is completely extinct in Norway and almost extinct in Sweden.

Mudburra

The Mudburra language is an Aboriginal Australian language primarily spoken by the Mudburra people in Northern Australia, specifically in the Barkly Tablelands region in the Northern Territory.

The younger generations within the Mudburra community are increasingly adopting English as their primary language for education and communication, which has led to a significant decline in the number of native speakers. Additionally, historical factors, such as the impact of residential schools and the pressure of dominant Western culture, have contributed to the erosion of indigenous languages, including Mudburra.

That being said, the language might actually be growing now. Australia's 2006 census estimated that there were 47 speakers left, but the 2016 report showed an increase to 92 speakers of Mudburra at home.

Urum

Urum is a Turkic language spoken by ethnic Greeks who live in a few villages in Georgia and Southeastern Ukraine. This Turkic language is considered to be a variant of Crimean Tatar, originally spoken in the south of Crimea. In recent years, there has been a deviation from teaching children Urum to more common languages of the region, leaving a limited number of new speakers in younger generations. Currently, it is estimated that there are between 10,000 – 99,000 native speakers of this language worldwide.