Itis an unpleasant extinction that will change the world and how peoplecommunicate: within 20 years, two thirds of all the planet's languages will bedead.
Expertsagree that nothing can stop it happening but one academic is trying her hardestto slow it down. Professor Antonella Sorace is one of a growing number whobelieve learning a second language has enormous untapped benefits for the humanbrain. This is true not only for young children but also for adults and peopleat risk from dementia(痴呆), where researchconsistently shows that learning a new language could delay the start of thedisease for four to five years—a better result than with any medication todate.
Itis those benefits of bilingualism(双语) that shouldencourage us to preserve and protect Europe's minority languages—Gaelic, Manx,Cornish and Ulster Scots, she says.
Alreadyher work and the project she founded three years ago in Edinburgh BilingualismMatters—now expanding across Europe and in the US—have convinced the Scottishgovernment to introduce languages to primary schools. From 2023 all Scottishchildren will be learning a language other than English in their first year atschool, with two other languages to be introduced later.
BilingualismMatters is also working to encourage businesses to consider the benefits oftheir staff learning languages. "In business, people say ‘English is thelanguage of business, why would I need to learn another language？'" said Sorace. "Maybe it would mean you could do betterbusiness."
Justas disappearing forests take with them secrets of undiscovered medicines,disappearing languages can take the key to a longer and better quality of life.The first battle is to unpick the popular assumption that bilingualism mightdamage children's brains. There were even suggestions it could encourageschizophrenia(精神分裂症).
Studyafter study has shown the opposite to be true, says Sorace. "Theseprejudices are deeply rooted, but we are perhaps halfway to persuading peoplethat the brain can cope. Then we have to persuade people that it is actually ofbenefit."
