Explore linguistic diversity. Learn what linguistic diversity is and know its types in classrooms. See linguistic diversity examples and language families.
Updated: 11/21/2023
Linguistic Diversity | Definition, Types & Examples
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is an example of linguistics?
Linguistics is the study of human languages. Major branches of linguistics include phonetics, phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, and pragmatics. Studying linguistic diversity around the world is one example of work that a linguist might do.
What causes linguistic diversity?
Linguistic diversity has several causes. Geographic isolation can increase linguistic diversity, as can various forms of contact between groups of people. Speech disorders and deafness can also prompt the development of new linguistic forms.
Why is linguistic diversity important?
Linguistic diversity is important for several reasons. First, languages are a cultural touchstone that connect people to their histories, families, and homes. Linguistic diversity is also an expression of the innovation and creativity of humans as a species.
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ShowWhat is language diversity? Language diversity, or linguistic diversity, is a broad term used to describe the differences between different languages and the ways that people communicate with each other. Language is one of the features of humanity that sets the species apart from others on Earth, as far as scientists are aware. Languages are necessarily systematic, meaning that they are bound by rules. This mechanism has been instrumental in allowing humans to communicate with each other and form complex cultures and civilizations. Understanding what linguistic diversity is, how it applies on a worldwide scale, and how it applies in education can help create a more thorough and lasting understanding of the study of culture in general and the place of language in human life.
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Today, the most commonly understood ''linguistics'' definition is the term for the study of human languages. The word is first attested in English in the 1580s, where a linguist referred to a master of languages. In its current usage, linguistics has been an accepted term since 1847. The study of linguistics is its own academic discipline, but it has significant overlap with fields like anthropology, neuroscience, evolutionary biology, and history.
Types of Linguistic Diversity
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For teachers, understanding different types of linguistic diversity in the classroom can be particularly important. There are several different situations in which members of a class may have diverse linguistic expressions and needs. These situations have their pros and cons for everyone involved. Workplaces and other places where people congregate also deal with similar linguistic diversity questions. Types of linguistic diversity include:
| Type of Linguistic Diversity | Definition | Tips for Teachers |
|---|---|---|
| English language learners (ELLs) | Students learning English as a second language, usually in a classroom where most students are native English speakers | ELLs may need differentiated learning strategies but can also bring cultural and linguistic enrichment to the classroom |
| Immersion classrooms | Classes where all students are learning in a second language as part of an immersion program | Students might find some material challenging and may need extra help with vocabulary, but will also experience increased fluency in two languages in later life |
| Sign languages | Students who are d/Deaf, hard of hearing, or raised in d/Deaf families may have a sign language as their native language | Students who are d/Deaf or hard of hearing may need accommodations in the classroom, but incorporating basic sign into the classroom can improve inclusion and understanding for all students |
| Speech disorders | Aphasia, apraxia, stuttering, selective mutism, and more | Speech disorders are relatively common, particularly in children. Teachers can modify assignments and provide extra support for students with these disorders and can teach classes about celebrating rather than stigmatizing a wide variety of speech styles |
While linguistic diversity is more commonly used to refer to the diversity of distinct languages spoken around the world, it can also apply to the speech styles listed above, all of which are normal examples of the kinds of language that humans produce.
Examples of Linguistic Diversity
In terms of variety of languages, there are many examples of linguistic diversity around the world. Linguistic diversity is sometimes measured using a language diversity index, of which there are several. These tools examine the likelihood of two given people in a country or region speaking the same native language. If virtually everyone in a country speaks the same language, the diversity index will approach 0. If there is a very high degree of native language diversity, the index will approach 1. Countries with a low diversity index include Britain, Brazil, Australia, and Japan, all of which have an index score of 0.2 or less. Diversity is also quite low in the U.S., hovering somewhere between 0.2 and 0.4. Countries with a very high diversity index include South Africa (which has 11 official languages), India, and Papua New Guinea. All of these countries have an index score of 0.8 or higher.
High levels of linguistic diversity often indicate that a country has one or more of the following:
- A very large population
- Many ethnic groups
- Many historical and current trade routes
- A history of being colonized
- Many mountains and other isolating geographical features
Countries deal with high levels of linguistic diversity in different ways. In some places, a single language emerges as the lingua franca or common language. In other places, languages are combined to form pidgins and creoles, usually in places where people had to learn to communicate very quickly.
One small island called South Goulburn, located off the coast of Australia, has an unusual way of dealing with and maintaining linguistic diversity. On that island, the population of around 500 people keep nine languages alive and thriving. Many of those are indigenous Australian languages with very few speakers. On South Goulburn, it is considered somewhat taboo to speak a second language, as languages are closely bound up with personal and cultural identity. Everyone on the island understands some or all of the nine languages, but speak only their own, expecting others to respond in their own languages. This is a phenomenon called receptive multilingualism.
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Why does linguistic diversity happen? Languages are generally grouped into families to organize them. All languages in a family share a common ancestor and are considered ''genetically'' related. Just because languages are part of the same family does not mean that they will be mutually intelligible or even similar. For instance, the Indo-European language family contains such diverse languages as English, Welsh, Russian, and Sanskrit. None of these languages sound similar when spoken, but they all share the same ancient roots. The Indo-European language family is further divided into smaller families like Germanic and Romance, in which languages share more obvious similarities. Shared traits among languages, as well as shared historical roots, are what determine which languages belong to which families.
Languages often become more different when populations are isolated from one another. This is why countries with geographical barriers like mountains often have increased linguistic diversity. It is important to note that while language families can be used to categorize most of the world's languages, there are also a few exceptions. These languages, called isolates, are not related to any other known languages as far as linguists can tell. Examples of language isolates include Haida, Ainu, and possibly Korean.
Language Varieties
When discussing linguistic diversity, it is important to understand the difference between a language and a dialect. English and French are considered different languages because although they share Indo-European roots, they are not mutually intelligible. American English and British English, on the other hand, are considered two dialects of the same language. They are mutually intelligible and share the same roots. Grammar and vocabulary are two of the most important factors when determining how closely related languages are. Vocabulary refers to how meaning is ascribed to words, while grammar refers to a language's structural attributes.
Sometimes, the distinctions between language and dialect are more political and cultural than based strictly on similarity. For instance, Danish and Norwegian are very similar and have a high degree of mutual intelligibility, but are considered different languages even though there are some dialects of English that are more different from one another than these two languages are.
In some cases, one dialect will be favored over another and will be considered standard. In America, Standard American English is taught in schools and has a higher social status than dialects like African-American English (AAE), Boston English, or some Southern American dialects. This standardization can aid communication, but it can also lead to classist and racial stigma against certain speech varieties. It is important to remember, when studying linguistic diversity, that all languages and dialects are equally complex and rule-bound, and that none are more correct than others.
Endangered Languages
There are an estimated 6,500 languages currently spoken around the world. However, the vast majority of those languages have very few speakers. This means that there are many languages that are in danger of going extinct, especially in indigenous communities around the world. The loss of linguistic diversity means that cultures are at risk of losing parts of their history and identity. To combat this loss, communities around the world are engaging in language rehabilitation efforts, though reviving a language is a major challenge. As many languages decline, English is becoming more and more prevalent, to the point where it is increasingly being considered a common language that people can use to communicate around the world.
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Linguistic diversity is a term for the enormous variety in human languages around the world. The study of language, called linguistics, is ultimately a study of culture. When studying language, it is important to remember that all languages are systematic, meaning that they are rule-bound, and communicative, meaning that they can be used to express complex ideas. There are many ways that linguistic diversity can manifest, including multilingual classrooms, speech disorders and sign languages. Typically, when studying languages, linguists will group different languages into families based on shared traits and common historical roots; grammar (language rules) and vocabulary (word meaning) are important tools for determining languages' shared traits. A language is more likely to be part of a large family if its speakers are connected to other groups of people; isolated groups often develop more isolated and different languages. Today, many languages are at risk of going extinct, although revival efforts are underway.
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Video Transcript
Why are Language, Groups Important?
What makes people different from all the other animals that surround us on this planet? Different people will give you different answers, but one answer that often appears is the ability of people to use language. Other animals do possess forms of communication, through body language, vocalization, eye contact, and other means. However, humans are often considered unique in their creation and use of language to communicate with one another.
Language is a systematic form of communication that can take a variety of forms. Systematic refers to the fact that language is composed of rules. Language is an important part of culture, elements of knowledge, ideas, beliefs, etc., that are passed along from one generation to the next. Language is a great vehicle for knowledge because people use it to tell their children stories and other lessons that will guide them through life. As an element of culture, language helps people with the proper knowledge to communicate with others. This communication can be performed for a variety of reasons, but the important thing about language is that it helps people to work in groups.
So, why are groups important? A single person can only do so much. Compared to other creatures on our planet, humans have very little in the way of physical adaptations. There are many animals that are stronger, faster, and tougher. Through group effort, facilitated by culture and communication, humans have become the dominant species on our planet.
An important element is knowledge. With knowledge comes the ability to modify one's environment to suit one's needs as well as a variety of ways to resist the forces of nature. Most people's knowledge is based upon what they have learned from other people. Experience is a great teacher, but language allows people to communicate their experiences so many other people can learn from them.
Linguistic Diversity
Linguistic diversity is sometimes a specific measure of the density of language, or concentration of unique languages together. This diversity covers varied types of traits including language family, grammar, and vocabulary. The linguistic diversity of a place, like a country or locale, can be rendered as a numerical measurement, called the linguistic diversity index. The index gives the probability that any given people will not share a first language. The number then ranges from 0, meaning everyone speaks the same language, to 1, meaning no languages are shared.
Language Families
There are thousands of languages in the world, and some estimates go as high as six thousand. On a planet with seven billion people, this would mean that over a million and a half people speak each language. However, this isn't exactly the case. Many languages are spoken only by a few hundred to a few thousand people. Most of these small groups of speakers are found in small tribal groups in the more wild areas of the world. In fact, the more isolated a group of people is from their neighbors, the more likely they are to speak a distinct language. By the same token, if a group is not isolated, they tend to share languages or linguistic traits with their neighbors.
This tendency of linguistic traits to be shared among groups that live near one another leads to the development of language families. Much like a biological family, a language family consists of languages with common constituent elements. These elements represent the historical roots of these families. Some language families are huge and consist of dozens of languages.
Some families may count other, smaller families among their number. For instance, the Indo-European family consists of most of the languages in Europe and the Middle East. This family also includes the Romance languages such as French and Spanish. The Indo-European family gave rise to Latin, the common linguistic ancestor of both French and Spanish. Not all languages are part of a larger family, though, and many native languages were formed in relative isolation.
Shared Linguistic Traits
Linguistic traits that are shared by related languages include vocabulary and grammar. Vocabulary refers to the way that words are given meaning. Sharing vocabulary does not always mean that the words are the same, just that they are formed from the same or similar roots. For instance, the word hand in French is le main, while in Spanish it is mano. Both of these are somewhat similar to the Latin term for hand, manu.
Grammar represents the manner in which words are combined into sentences and larger units in order to have a meaning. Grammar among related languages may be similar, but isn't always. Basic grammatical elements include tense, which indicates when actions take place, whether in the past, present, or the future. Other elements can include grammatical functions like subject, who is performing the action in the sentence, or object, what the action is being performed upon. Often, these grammatical elements depend upon the purpose of a language.
Many trade languages exist among different neighboring groups of people. Since the purpose of this language is for commerce, terms and features are borrowed from one group or another for how many trade goods or how much money is exchanged. One wouldn't want to talk philosophy with someone in a trade language, however, as it simply isn't expansive enough to say everything one might want to say on a topic, but it is enough to communicate.
Lesson Summary
Language is a tool used by people to communicate with one another. As a part of culture, language helps people to stick together and do things that they could not have done as individuals. Linguistic diversity is a way to talk about varied types of traits including language family, grammar, and vocabulary. A language family is a group of languages with related origins that share some traits. Such families may consist of a handful or dozens of languages, and smaller language families may be part of larger families. Linguistic traits that may be compared among language groups include vocabulary and grammar.
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Linguistic Diversity | Definition, Types & Examples
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