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How to save a dying language

Half of the world’s languages could go extinct in the next 100 years unless something‘s done to save them.

There are more than 7000 languages spoken around the world. However, nearly 40 percent of them are considered endangered and are at risk of dying out completely. It’s estimated that in the next one hundred years, at least half of the languages spoken today won’t be around anymore. To find out why and whether anything can be done to save them, we spoke to Stephanie Witkowski, the head of ‘7000 Languages’, an organisation that works to keep endangered tongues alive and kicking.

And if you’re looking to learn a new language, we’ve got some tips for you from polyglots - people that can speak more than three!

Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk
WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6
Presenter: William Lee Adams
Producers: Adam Chowdhury, Baldeep Chahal and Alex Rhodes
Editors: Simon Peeks

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13 minutes

Last on

Wed 28 Feb 2024 03:50GMT
±«Óătv World Service East and Southern Africa, South Asia, West and Central Africa & East Asia only

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  • Tue 27 Feb 2024 18:50GMT
    ±«Óătv World Service News Internet
  • Wed 28 Feb 2024 03:50GMT
    ±«Óătv World Service East and Southern Africa, South Asia, West and Central Africa & East Asia only

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