The world's most endangered languages -

These 30 languages may soon disappear completely

Each language tells its own story, from the remote whispers of the Sentinelese to the resurgent voices of Manx speakers. These thirty tongues, teetering on the edge of silence, are more than just ways of communication; they are living, breathing embodiments of cultures, histories, and entire ways of life. As we journey through each one, we're reminded of the passionate efforts to keep these languages from vanishing into the echoes of time.

Join us in discovering the heartbeats of these endangered languages, each representing a unique human experience. Click through the gallery to get started. 

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Chamicuro language of Peru -

With fewer than 10 elderly speakers, Chamicuro is nearly extinct. This Amazonian language's decline is due to assimilation into Spanish-speaking society.

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Wichí Lhamtés Nocten of Argentina -

Part of the Wichí community, this language faces a decline among youth, who prefer to speak Spanish. Preservation efforts include bilingual education.

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Dumi language of Nepal -

Spoken in eastern Nepal, Dumi is endangered with less than a dozen speakers. The younger generation's shift to Nepali threatens its existence, with little effort towards revival.

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Ongota language of Ethiopia -

Ongota, a nearly extinct language in Ethiopia, has only a handful of speakers. It's a unique language with unclear linguistic affiliations, highlighting the urgency of its preservation.

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Ts’ixa language of Botswana -

Ts’ixa, a Khoe language in Botswana, is endangered with few speakers. Its survival depends on the community's efforts to maintain its linguistic heritage.

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Chemehuevi language of the United States -

Native to the Colorado River, Chemehuevi has under 10 speakers. Preservation efforts include educational programs to revive this Uto-Aztecan language.

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Kawésqar language of Chile -

With fewer than 20 speakers, Kawésqar, native to southern Chile, is critically endangered. Its survival relies on cultural and educational initiatives.

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Pitkern language of Pitcairn Islands -

Pitkern, a creole language in the South Pacific, has less than 50 speakers. Its unique blend of English and Tahitian elements reflects a rich cultural history.

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Gothic language of Medieval Europe -

Once widespread in Europe, Gothic is now extinct. Its legacy survives in historical texts, offering insights into early Germanic languages.

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Tanema language of the Solomon Islands -

With only one known speaker, Tanema's survival is critical. Its decline is due to the shift towards more dominant regional languages.

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Liki language of Indonesia -

Liki, spoken in a small area of Indonesia, faces extinction with less than 20 speakers. Community efforts are key to its preservation.

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Toto language of India -

Native to a small region in India, Toto is endangered with around 1,000 speakers. Its preservation is challenged by the dominance of regional languages.

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Paakantyi language of Australia -

Once spoken widely along the Darling River, Paakantyi now has fewer than 10 speakers. Revival efforts include language classes and cultural programs.

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Ainu language of Hokkaido, Japan -

Ainu, once common in Hokkaido, now teeters on extinction with just a few elderly speakers. Revival efforts focus on education and cultural reinforcement.

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Livonian language of Latvia -

Critically endangered, Livonian has less than 40 speakers. Originating from Latvia's coast, its preservation relies on cultural programs and language courses.

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Yuchi language of the United States -

With less than 10 elderly speakers, the Yuchi language is critically endangered. Efforts to document and teach the language are ongoing to preserve this unique linguistic heritage.

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Sentinelese Language of the Andaman Islands -

Virtually unknown to the outside world, the Sentinelese language is spoken by the isolated Sentinelese tribe. Its status remains a mystery due to the tribe's limited contact with outsiders.

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N|uu language of South Africa -

One of the last click languages, N|uu has less than 10 speakers. Efforts to preserve it include recording projects and teaching the younger San community members.

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Apiaká language of Brazil -

With only a few elderly speakers remaining, Apiaká, an indigenous language of Brazil, is on the brink of extinction. Preservation efforts are minimal due to limited resources.

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Kansa language of the United States -

Once spoken by the Kansa tribe, this Siouan language now has no known fluent speakers. Efforts to revive it involve reconstructing the language from historical documents.

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Votic language of Russia -

With less than 10 speakers, mostly elderly, the Votic language is critically endangered. Spoken in rural Russian communities, its survival hinges on revitalization efforts.

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Aka-Bo language of the Andaman Islands -

Aka-Bo, once spoken in the Andaman Islands, is now considered extinct following the death of the last known speaker in 2010.

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Tehuelche language of Argentina -

With fewer than 10 speakers, Tehuelche is critically endangered. Native to Patagonia, efforts to document and revive this language are ongoing.

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Eyak language of Alaska, United States -

Eyak became extinct in 2008 with the passing of its last native speaker. Efforts continue to revive the language through teaching and documentation projects.

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Manx language of the Isle of Man -

Manx, a Celtic language, saw a revival after being declared extinct as a native language in the 1970s. With renewed interest, it now has hundreds of second-language speakers and is taught in schools. It's a hopeful example of a successful language revival.

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Ubykh language of Turkey -

Extinct since 1992, Ubykh was once spoken in the Caucasus. Known for its large consonant inventory, its last native speaker's death marked its end, though documentation efforts continue.

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Cappadocian Greek of Greece and Turkey -

Once thought extinct, Cappadocian Greek experienced a revival when speakers who shifted to Turkish started using it again. It remains highly endangered with a small speaker base.

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Alabama language of the United States -

Spoken by the Alabama-Coushatta tribe of Texas, this language has less than 100 speakers. Revitalization efforts include educational programs and community initiatives.

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Kaurna language of Australia -

Once considered extinct, Kaurna, native to the Adelaide Plains, is experiencing a revival through community and academic efforts, including language courses and resource development.

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Patwin language of the United States -

Spoken by the indigenous people of Northern California, Patwin has few fluent speakers. Efforts to revive the language involve educational programs and linguistic research.

Sources: (UNESCO Digital Library) (Preply) (Endangered Languages Project)

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