Endangered languages of Northeast India Many of Northeast India’s languages face the risk of extinction due to shifting cultural dynamics and modernization. 1. Jingpho (Nagaland and parts of Myanmar): Linguistic…
Endangered Languages India (North) India is home to a vast linguistic diversity of languages at risk of becoming extinct Many languages are at risk of becoming extinct. The following endangered…
Click consonants are a fascinating and rare feature of human language(2) Click consonants creative ways humans incorporate unique sounds into speech Predominantly associated with southern African languages. Clicks are creative…
Click Consonants, A Unique Feature of Human Language (1) Unusual sounds incorporated in languages Click consonants are a fascinating and rare feature of human language, found primarily in some languages…
African endangered languages-Kxoe-N|uu-and Ik (excluding Ethiopia) Preserving at risk languages in Africa. Today we explore these three languages:
Sixteen Endangered Languages in Ethiopia (2025) Ethiopia is home to a rich diversity of languages, with over 80 spoken across the country. However, many are endangered due to social, political,…
As of January 2025, numerous languages worldwide are classified as endangered, meaning they are at risk of falling out of use as their speakers die out or shift to speaking…
Language assimilation is the process where a language or its elements are absorbed and integrated into another language, culture, or community. This often happens when a dominant language influences a less dominant one. Here’s a breakdown of how language assimilation works:
Definition: When people adopt the dominant language of a culture, often losing their native language over time.
Example: Immigrants in the U.S. may switch to English in daily life. Over generations, their native language may fade.
Definition: When vocabulary, grammar, or pronunciation from one language merges into another.
Example: English has borrowed words from French, Latin, and other languages for centuries.
Definition: In phonetics, this happens when a sound changes to resemble a neighboring sound. It can also occur when speakers adjust their pronunciation to match another language.
Example: In English, the “n” in “input” sounds like “m” ([ɪmpʊt]) because of the following “p.”
Definition: When minority language speakers face pressure or expectations to use the dominant language.
Example: Some countries enforce policies that require students to speak the official language in schools, limiting the use of minority languages.
Language assimilation can be voluntary or forced, with deep effects on linguistic diversity and cultural identity. Understanding it helps protect endangered languages and support multilingual communities.