The Variety Of Languages
There are more languages spoken around the world than you'll ever know. While you're likely familiar with the basics like English, French, and Chinese, have you ever heard of Taushiro or Liki? We're guessing not. That's because these languages are going extinct; can you imagine if you were the last person alive to speak English? To put things into perspective, here are 10 of the rarest languages still spoken today and the 10 most common you already know.
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1. Taushiro
With supposedly just one speaker of Taushiro left in the world, 70-year-old man Amadeo García García is the last to keep this language alive. Originally spoken by a tribe found in the Peruvian Amazon, efforts are being done in an attempt to save this (and many others) language from extinction.
2. Sarsi
Only spoken by the Tsuutʼina Nation found in Canada, Sarsi is a dying language with mainly only adult-fluent speakers remaining. There is said to be less than 200 people left who continue to speak it, with new programs being made in an attempt to teach younger generations the language.
3. Njerep
It's said that Njerep only has 4 living speakers remaining on the planet (as of 2018), making this one language that is very near extinction. With the youngest speaker born in the 1940s, many scientists predict that sadly, there isn't enough to carry this language onto a new generation.
4. Pawnee
Today, Pawnee is seen as a language that's on the brink of extinction, with no one teaching it in school and only the very elderly continuing to speak it now. This Caddoan language has a rich history thanks to the Pawnee Native Americans, and it's sad to hear that many don't think it will be able to survive.
5. Tanema
A language found on the island of Vanikoro, somewhere most people won't be familiar with, Tanema has reached near extinction. The people who once spoke this language have supposedly switched to Teanu, leaving just one speaker left on the planet, Lainol Nalo, who stills knows the Tanema language well.
6. Liki
Sometimes referred to as Moar, Liki is another language spoken in a very specific area on the planet. Though it's reaching extinction, you'll find it on the islands near Papua province, Indonesia. With only about 11 people still remaining who speak it, preserving it will be incredibly difficult.
7. Chemehuevi
Chemehuevi refers to the indigenous group of people of Great Basin, but it also happens to be what their language is called. Unfortunately, it's recorded that only 3 people left on this planet still speak it, even though attempts have been made to revive it.
8. Kawishana
A language created by the indigenous peoples of South America, though several people were recorded to still speak Kawishana in the '50s, today, it's dropped down to just one. And with one sole speaker remaining on the entire planet, hopes of revival are at an extreme low.
9. Paakantyi
Also known as the Darling language, Paakantyi is a near-extinct language that was spoken by Australian Aboriginals that inhabited areas near the Darling River. Compared to the others on this list, this is one language that has seen growth! While it was reported that only 2 could speak Paakantyi fluently about a decade ago in 2012, in 2021, 100 or more said they were speaking it at home. Now that's a decent revival!
10. Ainu
Known in full as Hokkaido Ainu, this endangered Japanese language can be found by the people residing in the Northern Island of Hokkaido. Surprisingly, while there are still quite a lot of Ainu people living in Japan, the language itself is going extinct. It's estimated that there are potentially only less than 10 native speakers remaining.
1. English
It won't come as a surprise to learn that English remains one of the most spoken languages around the entire world. It's how people try to communicate with others in foreign places, it's been adopted into many other languages, and is constantly being heard in all of media.
2. Mandarin
Given not just the population of China but also many other countries that speak it, like Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore and so on, Mandarin Chinese is a language that continues to grow. And with many immigrants moving to Western countries, it's clearly a language and culture that's making an impact on a worldwide scale. It can be a very difficult one to learn how to speak and write though!
3. Spanish
A language that many are taught in high school, this just goes to show you how prevalent the Spanish language is. It is one of the official languages of up to 20 countries around the world, such as Argentina, Costa Rica, Mexico, and Chile. Spanish has always been highly regarded as a beautiful and romantic language that many seek to learn, which is likely why it's still so commonly spoken to this day.
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4. Hindi
Given the sheer size and population of India, it only makes sense that Hindi, one of the country's official languages, is one of the most spoken in the entire world. There are hundreds of millions of speakers spread out across the world, and it's often deemed one of the fast-growing languages.
5. French
Often called the most romantic language on the planet, many people love and admire French. And while most people immediately associate it with France, there are many other countries in the world that have it as one of their official languages too. From Belgium to Canada and Switzerland, you don't have to visit Paris to get a taste of French!
6. Arabic
Arabic might not be one of the first languages you think of when reflecting on all the most commonly spoken languages in the world, but it's up there! As one of the six official languages of the United Nations, this just proves its significance and importance. There are actually hundreds of millions of speakers around the world!
7. Portuguese
Not to be confused with Spanish, Portuguese is another lovely language that's spoken by up to 10 different countries around the world. Is that more than you expected? You can find fluent speakers in the likes of Brazil, Angola, Portugal, Cape Verde, and so much more.
8. Bengali
Not only is Bengali the official language of Bangladesh, with most of its citizens all speaking it, it's also the second most-spoken language used in India. Add all that up and it makes sense why Bengali is viewed as one of the most common languages on the planet! There are hundreds of millions of native speakers living today and you likely don't even realize it.
9. Russian
Known for sounding on the more aggressive side, you might be surprised to learn Russian is one of the most spoken languages today. Because where other than Russia is this being spoken? Well, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Tajikistan are just some examples of countries still keeping this language growing!
10. Urdu
As the national language of Pakistan and many other countries such as Afghanistan, Germany, Thailand, and South Africa familiar with it, Urdu continues to be one of the top languages across the world. It's more widespread than people realize!
