Social Sciences and History / Unit 11 SSH 1023 short lesson, about 20 seconds
Why Languages Spread and Die
Captions available
The idea
Language is a mental capacity shared by a speech community and a symbol of social identity. Distribution follows settlement history, demographic strength, ways of living, and contact with other groups. Some languages become dominant and displace others, which may go extinct: language death.
In practice
American English dialects tracking settlement and annexation.
Where people slip
An official language holds special legal status.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
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