Your Next Language: It Could Be Saving a World

You ever get the feeling that the world we live in is getting smaller and smaller?

We’re all using pretty much the same apps, watching the same Hollywood blockbusters, and learning the same few 'international languages'. It's convenient, but also a bit dull, isn't it? It’s as if all the world’s cultures have been thrown into a blender, and what comes out is a bland, single-flavour milkshake.

But behind this 'globalisation milkshake', a deeper crisis is quietly brewing.

Imagine that all of humanity's languages are a dazzling sea of stars in the night sky. Each star represents a unique culture, a different way of seeing the world, a universe brimming with ancestral wisdom and stories.

English, Chinese, Spanish… these are the brightest stars in that sky, the ones we see every day. But within this celestial expanse, there are thousands of fainter yet equally beautiful stars – the languages of tribes, of minority groups, of those on the verge of fading away.

And now, these stars are winking out, one by one.

When a language disappears, we lose far more than just a few words. We lose the poetry written in that language, the legends that can only be told through its unique sounds, the distinct wisdom passed down through generations about how to live with nature and understand life.

Every star that winks out leaves our night sky a little darker, and the vibrant tapestry of human civilisation loses a colour.

Sounds pretty sad, doesn't it? But the good news is, we're living in an unprecedented era. Technology, once seen as the cultural "blender," is now becoming the most powerful tool for protecting these "stars."

You, an ordinary person, don't need to be a linguist or venture to distant shores to become a guardian of these "stars." All you need is a mobile phone.

This 'star map' below has compiled many apps for you to learn and explore these precious languages. They're like tiny spacecraft, ready to take you directly into cultural universes you've never even heard of.

Stars of North America

This land echoes with the voices of many ancient tribes.

• Hidden Gems in Mainstream Apps:

  • Memrise: Here you can find courses for Cherokee, Inuktitut, Lakota, and more.
  • Drops: Offers learning modules for Hawaiian.
  • Duolingo: Has launched courses for Navajo and Hawaiian.

• Dedicated Guardians:

  • The Language Conservancy: An organisation dedicated to preserving Indigenous North American languages, which has developed numerous apps covering Mandan, Crow, Cheyenne, and more.
  • Ogoki Learning Systems Inc: Provides learning tools for various languages including Ojibway, Cree, Blackfeet.
  • Thornton Media Inc: Has developed apps for languages such as Cree, Mohawk, and Chickasaw.

Suns of Latin America

From Maya to Inca, the languages of this land are full of mystery and power.

• Treasures in Mainstream Apps:

  • Memrise: Offers courses for Yucatec Maya, Guarani, Quechua, and more.
  • Duolingo: If you switch the app language to Spanish, you can learn Guarani.

• Professional Exploration Tools:

  • Centro Cultural de España en México: Has developed excellent apps for Mexican Indigenous languages such as Nahuatl and Mixteco.
  • SimiDic: A powerful dictionary app that supports translation between Aymara, Guarani, and Quechua.
  • Guaranglish: A fun app focused on learning Guarani.

Waves of Australia and the Pacific

Across the vast Pacific, the languages of the islands are scattered like pearls.

• Choices in Mainstream Apps:

  • uTalk: You can learn Maori, Samoan, and Fijian.
  • Drops: Also offers Maori and Samoan.
  • Master Any Language: Covers various Pacific Islander languages, including Maori, Samoan, Fijian, Tongan, Tahitian, and more.

• Local Voices:

  • Victorian Aboriginal Corporation for Languages: Dedicated to preserving Indigenous languages of Victoria, Australia, and has released multiple related apps.
  • Wiradjuri Condobolin Corporation Limited: Focused on preserving Australia's Wiradjuri language.

This list is just the tip of the iceberg. It's not about telling you "which one you should learn," but rather saying, "look, you have so many choices."

Learning an endangered language might not bring you direct career advantages like learning English. But it offers you something far more precious:

• An adventure for your mind: You'll discover that the world can be described and understood in completely different ways.
• A deep connection: You'll no longer be just a tourist, but a participant and a custodian of culture.
• A real source of power: Every time you learn, you're infusing light into a star that's about to go out.

This isn't just about learning; it's about connection. Imagine the incredible experience of stumbling through a few phrases in an ancient language and being able to chat with one of its few remaining speakers in the world!

Fortunately, modern technology can even help you overcome the initial hurdles. Chat apps like Intent have powerful AI translation built-in. They allow you to have meaningful conversations with people on the other side of the world, even if you only know how to say "hello," turning language barriers into bridges for communication.

So, next time the world feels a bit bland, why not open your app store? Instead of downloading the hottest new game, go look for a "star" you've never heard of.

Learn to say "hello" in an ancient language. Understand a unique concept that only exists within a certain culture.

You might not just be saving a word, but an entire world. And that world, in turn, will light you up.