While old Indigenous languages disappear, new ones evolve
Wednesday, October 29, 2014 - 06:30
in Paleontology & Archaeology
By now we know that traditional Indigenous languages are losing speakers rapidly and tragically. Of the 250 languages once spoken in Australia, only 40 remain and just 18 of these are still learnt by children. But if children in remote Indigenous communities aren't still learning traditional languages, then what are they learning? It is generally assumed they are shifting to English, but this is not the case.