Tue. Feb 11th, 2025

Environmental  Corner – Extinct Languages

By Geoffrey Curtis 

Akkadian, Avestan, and Illyrian—these are languages many of us have never encountered. Yet, they serve as reminders of linguistic extinction. English, today’s global diplomatic language, may seem secure. But history shows that no language is guaranteed permanence. While English is widely spoken, Chinese Mandarin, Spanish, and Hindi-Urdu are increasingly influential, signaling the shifts in linguistic dominance. Over 573 languages have already disappeared, a toll that excludes unrecorded indigenous languages, highlighting a significant cultural loss worldwide.

Understanding why languages disappear involves considering the geographical and environmental conditions of ancient communities. Take Norway as an example: in the Middle Ages, its mountainous regions isolated groups within valleys, even though they shared a Nordic linguistic heritage. The natural barriers and harsh climate created unique dialects within each valley, as communities had limited contact. When spring allowed safer travel, trading goods, food, and even marriage partners across the mountains was possible. However, as populations grew, the valleys’ poor soils couldn’t sustain everyone. This scarcity forced many to seek better lands, driving Nordic exploration and, eventually the Viking era. The Viking expeditions spread their language and culture, but interactions with other cultures gradually transformed their language too.

Conquest also plays a major role in language decline. When one group dominated another, they often imposed their language on the conquered. Over time, languages like Gaelic, Irish, and Welsh began to fade. Akkadian, once spoken in ancient Mesopotamia, is a prime example of a language lost to history, disappearing as it gave way to the language of successive ruling powers.

European colonialism and the spread of Christianity dealt some of the harshest blows to native languages. Colonizers not only brought foreign diseases that devastated indigenous populations but also suppressed and, in many cases, erased native languages. This effect is evident across North and South America, Africa, and Australia, where numerous languages and cultures were lost under colonial rule.

In Australia, the loss of indigenous languages goes hand-in-hand with ecological changes. Just as foreign languages supplanted native ones, non-native plants and animals have overtaken indigenous species. European and South African plants, once introduced, became invasive. Common examples include the blackberry bush, rice grass, and sorrel. Feral populations of pigs, horses, deer, and the Asian buffalo have degraded landscapes and waterholes across rural and outback Australia. The erosion of indigenous languages has led to a loss in the names and understanding of native flora and fauna, many of which are now extinct or endangered.

Language shapes our understanding of the world around us. When we talk about “nature,” we often think only of what we see in front of us—what we know today. This “framing” ignores the deep history of these landscapes. Over time, rivers have been redirected or dried up, local flora and fauna have given way to farmland, and modern infrastructure has altered the soil and ecosystem beneath.

Ideas of conservation have expanded as we recognise the importance of preserving biodiversity. Projects like the hypothetical return of the Tasmanian Tiger (Thylacine) symbolise this shift. But even if the Thylacine could be brought back, where would it live? Much of its habitat is now gone, converted to other uses. Protecting native plant and animal species is as critical as preserving languages. Just as languages can go extinct, so can species, impacting cultural memory and ecological balance. How we communicate about the natural world influences our collective action. 

Tasmanians, like many communities, are increasingly aware of this link. Our language can reflect our values towards the environment, helping to shape a future that respects both cultural and ecological diversity.

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