When a language is no longer useful as a medium for communication is there a loss if the language can be translated into a language more dominant or successful? If the stories are in new forms and the culture goes on in another language is this a case of a form of natural selection?
Usually what happens is - the language is lost and then the culture is effectually extinguished. Are cultures lost over time, just as a matter of course? Sure. Are species? Uh huh. Is species loss accelerating right now at an extraordinary pace? So is language loss.
I don't think this is a scary thing. Language is a dynamic force. It's constantly changing, especially when you add new technology and the process of internationalization. Plus, it's a fact of the conquering an area, whether through violence or trading. The dominant culture is going to want their language spoken in order to make business easier. The exchange of information across the globe is making it harder to keep the native language when everyone else is operating in something. Right now it's English, about 2000 years ago, it was Latin. This is something that has been going on since the creation of language.
Plus, since language is always changing, these languages would eventually stop existing, or be so different they might as well be totally different, such as old English and modern English. I'm not worried, it's just a fact of culture.
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Plus, since language is always changing, these languages would eventually stop existing, or be so different they might as well be totally different, such as old English and modern English. I'm not worried, it's just a fact of culture.
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