INTERNET GIANT Google will today launch the Endangered Languages Project, an online resource which aims to allow language activists throughout the world to share the latest information on lesser-used or minority languages.
The site contains information on more than 3,000 of the 7,000 tongues that are spoken on the planet.
The material gathered on the site contains hundreds of audio pieces, videos and documents which give an insight into linguistic diversity throughout the globe.
Google manager Siobhán Ní Chonchúir said it was “an important step to preserve what the elders know and to give the next generation a chance to learn from their heritage”.
Some research suggested that 50 per cent of the world’s languages could be lost by the end of this century.
Users can click on the site and see a map where different languages are located “in every corner of the planet”.
They can then access individual languages and obtain information on the age and number of speakers and their geographical spread, for example.
The site is available at endangeredlanguages.com.
