2019 – International Year of Indigenous Languages

The United Nations General Assembly has declared 2019 the International Year of Indigenous Languages (IY2019) to help preserve indigenous languages.

Languages in Danger

There are approximately 7,000 languages in the world, and it is estimated that more than half of the world’s languages will become extinct by 2100.

Languages become extinct when there is no longer someone that can speak them. The majority of the endangered languages are indigenous languages, and one indigenous language dies every two weeks.

What is Language for You?

According to the IY2019 website, languages “play a crucial role in the daily lives of people, not only as a tool for communication, education, social integration and development, but also as a repository for each person’s unique identify, cultural history, traditions and memory”

Since language is so deeply embedded in almost every aspect of our lives, it’s hard to imagine how languages die and what a world without languages would look like. Some say language is key to understanding humanity but studies made by UNESCO suggest that there’s a link between biodiversity and linguistic diversity.

As a company that provides reliable interpreting services, we understand the importance of language and its role in intercultural interaction. Oyraa boasts our professional interpreters specializing in 153 languages including minor languages and dialects.