Why Preserving Languages Matters: Unlocking Cultural Wisdom and Heritage Through Individual and Community Efforts

Growing up as a third culture individual exposes you to a rich mix of languages and traditions. While I was born in the UK and raised primarily in Canada, my mother tongue is Tamil. English and Tamil were my first languages, but when I moved to Bangladesh in my twenties, I also learned to speak Bengali. Tamil, one of the world’s oldest languages, spans over two millennia, has a vast literary tradition and an extensive alphabet—247 characters—the largest of any language. Thankfully, despite many of the world’s Indigenous languages facing extinction, Tamil remains strong due to its sizeable speaking population.

Growing up in Winnipeg and speaking English—the most widely spoken language globally—made me realize how easy it is to lose touch with your native language. I learned Tamil not for preservation but to communicate with my grandmother. Over time, I came to appreciate that I could speak Tamil and comprehend all of my grandmother’s precious knowledge. Knowing or learning a language isn’t just about communication—it’s much more. It’s about understanding cultural nuances, expressions, and thoughts that often don’t translate. Without Tamil, I would have missed out on much of my grandmother’s wisdom, which does not directly translate into English.

Now as a parent, I see the importance of passing this on to my two children. My wife, Dasha, has Ukrainian and Russian roots, and her parents speak little English. I want our kids to learn their heritage languages, not just to be able to talk to their grandparents but to connect with the wisdom and cultural heritage they offer. While I’m grateful for English, I also know its global dominance can make learning other languages feel less urgent.

An article from 3 Magazine, Half the World’s Languages Are Endangered – But AI Can Help Save Them, resonated deeply with me. It highlights that approximately 43 per cent of the world’s languages are endangered, and many lack any digital representation. AI is emerging as a powerful tool to preserve these languages, as demonstrated by its use with Kwak’wala, an endangered Indigenous language. AI helps transcribe archival recordings and assists in language learning, making it easier to revitalize languages that are at risk of extinction.

While I think it’s incredible that we’re using AI in this way, as the article acknowledges, AI has limitations in fully preserving the depth of a language. Most AI systems are predominantly English-based, presenting a linguistic and cultural bias, but can also pose challenges in capturing other languages’ subtleties and cultural contexts. The richness of a language often lies in its idiomatic expressions, regional colloquialisms, and the deeper meanings behind words—elements that AI may struggle to interpret or replicate accurately. This raises concerns about “digital colonization,” where AI, controlled by tech giants, could inadvertently exploit cultural resources without fully respecting their context.

The article emphasizes the crucial role that communities must take part in, to be at the forefront of these preservation efforts to maintain their languages’ authenticity. AI can play a supporting role, but language preservation is profoundly accomplished by the work of humans. It’s not just about safeguarding the vocabulary but all the cultural wisdom, history, and worldview embedded within it. This highlights the critical role of human involvement in preserving languages, going beyond simple transcription to protect the cultural depth and meaning they carry. 

The future of language preservation may benefit from advanced technology like AI, but it’s crucial that individuals and communities take active, sustained efforts to ensure the survival of our diverse languages. This is a powerful reminder of how important it is to actively nurture linguistic diversity at home, ensuring that the next generation remains connected to the cultural depth their languages carry.

You might like this