Language loss is accelerating
Ethnologue, UNESCO, and other researchers warn that the world is losing languages faster than communities can safeguard them. In many communities, the break in transmission to younger generations is now the decisive risk, putting thousands of languages on a path to disappear within this century.
Living languages today
0
There are approximately 0 spoken and signed languages in the world today (Ethnologue).
0
%
Already threatened
At least 40%—roughly 2,800 languages—are considered threatened or endangered (UNESCO).
The limits of my language mean the limits of my world.
Up to 0% of languages could vanish by 2100
UNESCO and National Geographic estimate that between 0% and 0% of living languages may go silent within the next few decades without intentional intervention.
0%
Best case scenario
0%
Additional risk
0%
May survive
Each square represents 1% of the world's languages. The darker red shows the minimum expected loss, while the lighter red represents the additional languages at risk. The gap between these projections is the window where preservation, education, and storytelling can still make a difference.
Languages are vanishing in real time
The most vulnerable languages have only a handful of speakers left. Without intentional action, the next generation is likely to show substantially lower functional fluency.
One year in language loss
Every 0 days, a language disappears
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Since 1950
0
Languages already extinct
Fewer than 10 speakers
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Languages hanging by a thread
Data sources: National Geographic, Rosetta Project, Rubric
Why underrepresented languages need urgent attention
Language continuity depends on intergenerational use. When children receive limited input in a home language, fluency can decline sharply within one or two generations. Underrepresented languages face this risk faster because high-quality children's materials are often scarce.
Relevance drives reading frequency
Children read more consistently when books reflect familiar names, scripts, and contexts. In underrepresented languages, that relevance gap often reduces reading frequency and speeds language shift.
Early exposure changes outcomes
Regular bilingual read-aloud routines improve vocabulary, comprehension, and reading readiness. Without age-appropriate books, families lose one of the most effective daily interventions.
Transmission weakens without literacy
Home-language literacy strengthens communication across generations and supports long-term use in diaspora communities. When children cannot read or speak confidently, transmission weakens quickly.
Resource scarcity is a structural risk
Many underrepresented languages still lack modern, high-quality children's publishing pipelines. Closing this access gap is a core requirement for language stabilization, not optional enrichment.
Languages we support right now
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