Language Shift & Death

In this session we will discuss how and why languages shift and sometimes disappear or “die”. We shall also look into the factors which makes one language stronger than the others at different times.

Objectives

By the end of this session you should be able to:

1. Explain how and why languages shift, die, revive and remain vital
2. Suggest ways to resolve the conflict between the need for world-wide communication and language preservation

Key concepts

*What is ‘Language shift’?
* What are the factors contributing to language shift?
*What is language death?
*What kills a language?
*How can a language revive?
*What keeps a language vital?
*How can a minority language be maintained?