Social Aspect: Language — The Soul of a Nation
The role of language in human life goes far beyond being a tool for communication. Language is the collective memory code that carries a nation’s history, emotions, thoughts, values, and culture. Every dialect, proverb, idiom, and folk song is a window into the inner world of a people.
There are approximately 7,000 languages spoken around the world. However, according to UNESCO, more than half of these languages are at risk of extinction within the next 100 years. Behind the death of each language lies the silence of a culture, the fading of a people.
The loss of a language is not merely the loss of words — it is the disappearance of a nation’s worldview, way of thinking, joy, and sorrow. For example, the Inuits (polar peoples) have more than 50 words for snow, showing how intricately they describe their environment. If their language disappears, so does that delicate way of thinking.
Academic Aspect: The Decline of Language from a Scientific View
According to linguists, the main reasons for the decline of a language include:
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The prohibition or restriction of that language in the education system (frequently seen in colonial times)
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Economic and social pressure causing people to prefer learning dominant languages
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New generations no longer speaking their mother tongue — speaking another language at home becomes the trend
As a result, the "mother tongue" remains only on official documents, and in real life becomes a symbolic, non-functional element.
A fascinating study shows that one language disappears every two weeks. That means 26 languages vanish by the end of each year.
This process shows how language behaves like a living organism: if it isn’t nourished, it dies. And nourishment means use, development, love, and promotion.
Public Aspect: Historical Examples and Modern Warnings
1. Ancient Languages and Their Death
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Latin — once the official language of the Roman Empire, no longer used in everyday speech. Its fall led to the birth of Romance languages (Italian, French, Spanish, etc.)
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Akkadian — one of Mesopotamia's most important languages, now survives only in archaeological texts
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Old Prussian — the language of a Baltic people, completely disappeared after German colonization
2. The Case of Azerbaijan
In various regions of Azerbaijan, languages such as Talysh, Lezgian, Udi, and Tsakhur are still spoken. However, many of these are not used by younger generations. In some families, not teaching children these languages is even seen as "progress."
This means that within a few decades, these languages may become “dead languages.” If a language disappears, the cultural identity of that community weakens as well.
Research-Oriented Aspect: Interesting Facts and Studies
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According to UNESCO, one language disappears every 14 days
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The 10 most spoken languages cover about 70% of the world’s population
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90% of Australia’s Aboriginal languages are no longer in active use
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“Language is the DNA of life” — this quote by renowned linguist David Crystal expresses the vital role of language in human cultural and social memory
Efforts to preserve languages worldwide include:
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Organizations like Living Tongues Institute document and digitize endangered languages
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Wikipedia now hosts articles in some endangered languages
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Mobile apps (like Duolingo) have begun teaching lesser-known languages
Conclusion and Recommendations: Language Is Not Just Words — It Is Identity
The disappearance of a language means the collapse of invisible boundaries that define a people. It is the language that preserves a nation’s history, sings its lullabies, tells its tales, and recites its prayers. If the language is gone, even if the people physically remain, they begin to fade spiritually.
Recommendations:
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Preserve the mother tongue at home — children should be encouraged to speak their parents’ language
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Support regional languages in education — official programs should include measures to preserve minority languages
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Promote cultural projects — languages should be kept alive through films, songs, and theater
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Digital initiatives — apps, websites, and social media should publish content in these languages
Final Word:
The language of a people is their soul, their voice, their breath, their memory. If it goes silent, the people begin to forget who they are.
In the end, to keep a language alive is to keep a nation alive.