If I forget my native speech,
And the songs that my people sing
What use are my eyes and ears?
What use is my mouth?

If I forget the smell of the earth
And do not serve it well
What use are my hands?
Why am I living in the world?

How can I believe the foolish idea
That my language is weak and poor
If my mother’s last words
Were in Evenki?


With 196 of its languages listed as 'endangered', India tops the Unesco’s list of countries having the maximum number of dialects on the verge of extinction.

India is closely followed by the U.S. which stands to lose 192 languages and Indonesia, where 147 are in peril.

These facts were revealed in the latest Atlas of World’s Languages in Danger of Disappearing unveiled by the Unesco.

As per this Atlas, as many as nine of these languages are already extinct. These are: Ahom, Aimol, Andro, Chairel, Kolhreng, Rangkas, Sengmai, Tarao, Tolcha

In addition, 35 languages are on the 'critically endangered' list, 6 on the 'severely endangered' list, 62 are 'definitely endangered' and the remaining 84 are listed as 'unsafe'.