Solutions
Apr 25
Akorbi Lists Some of the Rarest Languages Still Spoken Today
Do you speak a second language? Maybe even a third? Whether you’re bilingual or multilingual, or you just speak your native tongue, there are probably a lot of languages out there you’ve never heard of. As experienced members of the translation service industry, Akorbi has developed a unique understanding of the different languages spoken around the world.
We want to share some of that knowledge with you. The Akorbi blog is often a great resource for information, and this entry is no different. We’re going to look at some of the rarest languages that are still spoken from around the world.
Sarsi
Sarsi (also known as Sarcee), is a Native American language related to Navajo. Unlike Navajo, Sarsi was spoken by a tribe much further north in Calgary, Canada. What makes Sarsi interesting is it is one of the Native American languages that is entirely oral, with no evidence of a written version. There are currently only 170 people known to still speak Sarsi. The tribe that Sarsi originated from is known as the Tsuu T’ina.
Dumi
Even rarer than Sarsi is Dumi, with only eight known speakers in the world. Dumi belongs to the Kiranti family of languages native to Nepal. Unlike Sarsi, there is some written record of Dumi, despite its rarity. Even so, you’re not likely to be contacting Akorbi about needing a Dumi translator.
Pawnee
Pawnee is another Native American tribal language with only ten fluent speakers left. What makes Pawnee stand out from many languages is that each word in the language contains ten syllables.
The origins of the Pawnee are the very center of the Midwest of the United States, though the remaining descendants of the tribe now live primarily in northern Oklahoma. While there are few fluent speakers left, the Pawnee Nation has been making an effort to develop teaching materials to preserve the language and culture since 2007.
Chamicuro
Chamicuro is one of the traditional languages of Peru. It’s also thought to be one of the languages most in danger of extinction, with somewhere between 10 to 20 known speakers left and little effort towards preservation. However, there still remains a written record of the language, meaning there is a chance for it to survive, despite some controversy over whether it and Aguano (also from Peru) are the same language.
Kawishana
Another South American language, Kawishana (also spelled as Cawishana) is a traditional language from Brazil. Although it’s not known if any speakers of Kawishana are left, as of 2017 it is still not listed as officially extinct.
Contact Akorbi Today
These are just a few examples of the rarest languages, and the Akorbi blog will be back with more soon. While it might be unlikely that you’ll ever need help with these rare languages, interpretation and translation services are often a vital part of business operations.
Being able to speak the right language and really understand the content and the context can make all the difference in dealing with a global client base. Find out more about the full range of translation and interpretation services from Akorbi, or contact our translation agency today.
