Science and Technology Daily (Reporter Liu Xia) Based on a new model similar to predicting species loss, the Australian research team analyzed 6,511 languages ​​that are still in use or have been discontinued, and concluded that by the end of this century, 1,500 languages ​​will be No longer being used, which is equivalent to one language disappearing every month.

The new research also identified the reasons that put languages ​​at high risk, including denser road networks, higher education levels and even climate change.

　　The co-author of the paper, Professor Lindel Brom of the Australian National University, said that of the 7,000 recognized languages ​​in the world, about half are currently endangered. “If there is no immediate intervention, language loss will increase by 5 by 2100. Times. By the end of this century, 1,500 languages ​​may no longer be used."

　　The research results published in "Nature, Ecology and Evolution" listed the most comprehensive high-risk factors that put endangered languages ​​at no longer use.

The study found that the longer the education, the higher the endangered language.

This shows that we need to offer bilingual courses to improve the ability of local people to use the local language as well as the common language at the same time.

　　Brom pointed out: “In addition, among the 51 factors we investigated, we also found some unexpected risk points, including road density. The higher the risk."

　　Researchers say this discovery also has important implications for the protection of many endangered languages ​​spoken by the aborigines of Australia.

Professor Felicity Mickins of the University of Queensland said: “The rate of loss of Australian languages ​​is high worldwide. Previously, more than 250 languages ​​were used in Australia, and multilingualism was the norm. Now only 40 languages ​​are still in use. In use, 12 of these languages ​​are learned by children."

　　Brom said that more action is urgently needed to protect risky language.

"When a language disappears, or is no longer used as we say, we lose our rich source of cultural information and the unique and beautiful way of expressing human creativity."

　　Scientists currently have very different estimates of language loss. Some predict that by the beginning of the next century, as many as 90% of languages ​​may no longer be used.