Alexandria Gauntt

1125 Baker Street

Montgomery, Alabama
April 27, 2016
Copper Grant
Psyche Magazine
Editor
754 Magnolia Avenue
New York, New York
Dear Copper Grant :
I am sending you this letter in hopes that you will do an article on endangered and extinct languages. This is a
topic that has been taken to lightly throughout these years. It has been said that up to ninety per cent of the
worlds languages will become extinct by the end of the twenty-first century, and this alarming information has
started a sense of urgency (Perley, 133).
According to Deborah Cameron In Australia, where before European colonization some 250 indigenous
languages were spoken, only a handful of those languages . . . are endangered, moribund or extinct (Cameron,
135). Granted that when dealing with language there is an absolute guarantee that there will be some change
because Change is inevitable because languages respond and adapt to their speakers needs, but they serve as a
bridge between the past and the future (Maffi, 385). When you think about the concept of languages just
changing then it would be ok to say that languages do not die out, and that they only get transformed (Maffi,
385).
Why does this matter though? I dont see how this will affect anyone seriously. Trust me this has a very huge
impact on humans as a whole. There are several arguments that point out the importance of keeping these
languages alive. One argument that has really caught my eye is that centuries of wisdom and culture can be lost
with a single language (Cameron, 136).
Losing languages are impacting our communities in the sense that we will be losing all of the culture, wisdom,
and diversity that is included with each language. If you can please let it be known to your readers how serious
of a problem this is.
Sincerely,

Alexandria Gauntt
Enclosure