According to National Geographic, we lose 1 language every 14 days. We've already lost many thousands of languages, and will continue to lose many thousands more. In this particular issue, the article was highlighting some of the less common languages, threatened with extinction as their native population either dies out, or gets assimilated into a larger, modern culture. It may seem like nothing besides a few words gets lost when a language dies, but I was really convinced by this article that we actually lose quite a lot more. Our language is very closely connected to our culture. The way that we describe the world affects our perspective of the world.
Here is on example; in the Tuvan language, one says: look backwards to the future, and the past is ahead. That is totally counter to our usage of language and notions of progress where the future is what lies ahead, and the past is gone behind us. I find it a very interesting perspective to think about, we can "see" the past, it has happened, but the future is unknown, like what lies behind you.
Where our language of "progress to the future" seems to imply that time and world are stationary, and we are creators of our own destiny, plowing our way forwards through life like explorers hacking through a jungle with a machete, the Tuvan perspective is completely 180 degrees turned around. Time passes by, and what we see ahead of us, is the past that has already gone by. The future is unknown.
I think that is a valuable perspective, regardless of which way seems "right" and which one seems "wrong", it is worth thinking about how our language shapes our perspectives.
Here is on example; in the Tuvan language, one says: look backwards to the future, and the past is ahead. That is totally counter to our usage of language and notions of progress where the future is what lies ahead, and the past is gone behind us. I find it a very interesting perspective to think about, we can "see" the past, it has happened, but the future is unknown, like what lies behind you.
Where our language of "progress to the future" seems to imply that time and world are stationary, and we are creators of our own destiny, plowing our way forwards through life like explorers hacking through a jungle with a machete, the Tuvan perspective is completely 180 degrees turned around. Time passes by, and what we see ahead of us, is the past that has already gone by. The future is unknown.
I think that is a valuable perspective, regardless of which way seems "right" and which one seems "wrong", it is worth thinking about how our language shapes our perspectives.
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