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Around 7,000 languages are spoken in the world today, but linguists fear over 3,000 of
those will
22 over the next 100 years. Linguists classify languages into four 23
classes. A language is considered “safe” if children will be speaking it in 100 years' time. If
children are
24 to speak the language in 100 years, it is considered to be “endangered," and
if the language currently has no children learning it, then it is "moribund.” When there are no
native speakers 25, the language is classified as extinct.on y'asowe grobnow me
In a joint effort to prevent these languages from disappearing, Google was 26 by
several language organizations in the creation of the Endangered Languages Project, a website
where people can record, share, and access endangered languages. The hope is to 27 these
languages through documentation. While the project may not save any currently moribund
language from its
28 extinction, it could help save those endangered languages. Wom
Taiwan currently has five moribund languages and a(n) 29 ten extinct Formosan
languages. Perhaps the Endangered Languages Project can give some hope to those dying
languages or generate new 30 in learning them. But don't count yourself out; you can help
too. If you know anyone who speaks one of these disappearing languages, you should try to pick
it up yourself.