Dying languages and how Hebrew was saved

LANGUAGES ARE draining away. According to linguist Mark Abley, a language dies every 14 days, never to be heard again.

Wonderful languages are already dead, like the magical Marlda Kangka, spoken only by the boys of three islands south of New Guinea upon initiation into its signed vocabulary after ritual circumcision; and Mati Ke, whose last two speakers in northern Australia were brother and sister, prohibited by taboo from talking together.

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