This podcast episode challenges the widely accepted statistic that one language dies every two weeks, tracing its origins and highlighting inaccuracies in the predictions surrounding language death. Through insights from linguist Gary Simons, it reveals that actual language extinction rates are slower than predicted, with 184 languages going extinct in the first 20 years of the 21st century. The discussion emphasizes the urgency of addressing the decline of languages deemed "doomed," while also shedding light on the potential for community-driven preservation efforts that could combat this linguistic crisis.
