Every year several languages die out. Some people think that it is not important because life will be easier if there are fewer languages in the world. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?
IELTS Essay on the Issue of Dieng Out Languages
A few individuals believe that the extinction of some languages is not a matter of concern as it will lead to easy communication because of some common languages. I moderately agree with this statement as it has some merits, but there are also issues like losing the cultural identity of many cultures.
On the positive side, one of the most outstanding benefits of the cessation of languages is breaking the language barrier and creating mutual understanding. This means that it is easier for people worldwide to socialize and interact with each other daily. For example, the English language connects people from different countries who speak different native languages. Furthermore, different cultures would integrate, and it would be more effective for international trade and globalization. Second, this trend cuts down discrimination among people of different social statuses, for instance, in some countries people who can speak English tend to look down on people who cannot because English speakers are seen as high-status individuals. Language would not be an indicator of status anymore.
On the other hand, languages are undoubtedly one of the most distinctive features representing the identity of a community. Many thousand-year-old documents describing the customs and traditions of ancient civilizations have been written in their own languages. Therefore, when one language is no longer used, the culture attached to it fades away. At the same time, if the disappearance of languages is considered normal, our children will not respect and preserve their own national characters. Language would become a means of communication only, which leads to the unintentional acceptance of the global loss of language diversity.
In conclusion, the dying out of languages has several merits and it works toward developing some common language across the world. It also negatively impacts our lives; hence, languages should be protected and passed on to the next generation.