Language endangerment and language maintenance: can endangered indigenous languages of Kenya be electronically preserved?
Abstract
United Nations Cultural and Scientific Organization (UNESCO) contend that languages are the centre piece of
the cultural diversity of the world yet they are also a vulnerable part of the world’s cultural heritage. According
to UNESCO there are about 6,000 languages spoken in the world. Unfortunately, currently there are only eight
languages of wider communication in the whole world. In spite of the importance of language as a component of
cultural diversity, over 417 languages all over the world are endangered. In Kenya, over eight languages are
endangered among them: Terik, El Molo, Ogiek, Omotik, Bong’om, Sogoo, Suba and Yaaku. Some of these
languages have already been classified as being extinct by UNESCO. This paper addresses the need to preserve
and maintain endangered indigenous languages. The paper has highlighted the current state of language
endangerment in Kenya. The following observations are made: most African languages have not been
phonemically coded. Given the length of time that is taken for a language to be phonemically coded, many
languages whose vitality is critically endangered need an urgent means for their preservation. The paper
recommends for an electronic method to be considered for preservation of the endangered languages.
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