Homshetsma, Western Armenian languages endangered in Turkey

PanARMENIAN.Net - According to the Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger published by UNESCO prior to 21 February, International Mother Language Day, 15 languages are endangered in Turkey, and Turkey is doing nothing to save them.



21 February, International Mother Language Day, has been marked with the publication of a new edition of the "Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger". The United Nations' Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has published an interactive digital Atlas based on information collected by over 30 linguists.



The degree of danger that languages face has been expressed in five different categories:



-unsafe

-definitely endangered

-severely endangered

-critically endangered

-extinct

-Many languages affected



A staggering total of 2,500 languages is affected, a large percentage of the 6,700 languages spoken today. Of these 2,500, around 230 have been extinct since the 1950s.



As for Turkey, the atlas says that 15 languages are endangered, and three more are extinct.



Four languages in Turkey were categorized as unsafe: Zazaki, Abkhaz, Adyge, and Kabard-Cherkes.



Definitely endangered are: Abaza, Homshetsma, Laz, Pontus Greek, Romani, Suret (a language similar to Assyrian) and Western Armenian.