In recent times alone, it is estimated that more than 2000 languages have already become extinct. Reasons for revitalization vary: they can include physical danger affecting those whose language is dying, economic danger such as the exploitation of indigenous natural resources, political danger such as genocide, or cultural danger/assimilation. Though the goals of language revitalization vary greatly from case to case, they typically involve attempting to expand the number of speakers and use of a language, or trying to maintain the current level of use to protect the language from extinction or language death. Sometimes various tactics of language revitalization can even be used to try to revive extinct languages. Languages targeted for language revitalization include those whose use and prominence is severely limited. There has only been one successful instance of a complete language revival, the Hebrew language, creating a new generation of native speakers without any pre-existing native speakers as a model. Some argue for a distinction between language revival (the resurrection of an extinct language with no existing native speakers) and language revitalization (the rescue of a "dying" language). Those involved can include linguists, cultural or community groups, or governments. Language revitalization, also referred to as language revival or reversing language shift, is an attempt to halt or reverse the decline of a language or to revive an extinct one. ![]() Effort to promote an endangered language or revive a dead language
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