word
Endangered Language
en-DAYN-jerd LANG-gwij
/ɪnˈdeɪndʒərd ˈlæŋɡwɪdʒ/Listen
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Syllable breakdown
endangeredlanguage
Dictionary meaning
A language at risk of falling out of use because it has a small, declining, or ageing number of speakers; typically classified on a continuum from 'vulnerable' to 'critically endangered', with extinction occurring when the last fluent speaker dies.
Examples
- Linguists estimate that half of the world's approximately 7,000 languages are endangered.
- Efforts to revitalize endangered languages often involve creating educational materials and digital resources.
Synonyms: at-risk language, minority language, moribund language
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