For many, the death of a language signals the end of a unique worldview. However, in the digital age, a growing number of activists are turning to social media to preserve their languages. This allows future generations can access languages they might otherwise lose.

The role of social media in language preservation

Platforms like YouTube, Twitter, TikTok, and Facebook have become essential tools for digital activists working to revitalize endangered languages. They provide spaces where indigenous and minority language speakers can record, promote, and even teach their languages, often reaching global audiences who may not otherwise have access to such linguistic diversity.

Social media has also helped once-extinct languages find new speakers and assisted people who want to learn their ancestors’ languages. One example is the Livonian language in Latvia.

The efforts to promote minority languages online have sparked a global movement. Apps like Duolingo offer lessons in languages like Welsh and Navajo. Specialized YouTube channels for language preservation are also critical to prevent the disappearance of half the world’s languages by the end of the 21st century. 

Social media gives visibility to endangered languages and can help speakers and language learners feel a sense of pride. However, while social media can be invaluable, it is not a magic solution for language preservation. Ultimately, people must want to speak a language and have others to communicate with in that language or dialect. 

Fighting stigmatization and linguistic prejudice

Language is more than just a means of communication—it is intrinsically tied to identity and culture. For many communities, language loss is closely linked to historical traumas, including colonization, state suppression, and forced assimilation. Social media, however, has created opportunities to challenge the stigmatization of minority languages and connect individuals worldwide.

For example, students of Irish, a long-suppressed language, use YouTube to promote their language through music. In Friesland, in the northern Netherlands, students use social media to practice and improve their language skills. Basques in the diaspora have also used social media to preserve their culture and language and for political activism.

The digital space can offer a rare opportunity for languages marginalized in the physical world. It helps combat linguistic prejudices and increases the prestige of the language as it gains reach and becomes relevant again. Activists across the globe see social media as a vital space where all languages can exist on equal footing.

Digital activism: case studies from around the world

The story of Oralia Villegas García is a prime example of how social media can preserve endangered languages. A speaker of Mazahua, a language spoken by only 140,000 people in Mexico, García decided to promote her language on YouTube. Her channel, “Maorvi, Aprendamos Mazahua,” teaches the language to Mazahua people who, for various reasons, have stopped speaking it.

In southern Mexico, Manuel de Jesús Pérez uses Facebook to promote the Tsotsil language, which is deeply rooted in local traditions. His work helps raise awareness about Indigenous languages and cultures beyond their native regions.

In the Philippines, Jerome Herrera promotes his mother tongue, Chabacano, a Spanish-based creole spoken by up to 700,000 people, gathering resources from social media sites.

In Nepal, social activist Sanjib Chaudhary has worked tirelessly to preserve Eastern Tharu, a language about 1.6 million people speak. Many young people in urban areas, like his own daughter, struggle to understand or speak the language. Recognizing the need for innovation, Chaudhary has turned to digital platforms to compile proverbs, phrases, and folk stories from the language. His efforts aim to re-engage young speakers and create resources for future generations.

Not all stories are successful. Gyani Maiya is the last speaker of the Kusunda language in Nepal. Her language will die with her. But thanks to Maiya and the efforts of activists and experts, a vast archive of the language will be available online. 

The risks of entrusting cultural heritage to private platforms

Despite the many success stories, there are also significant concerns about relying on private corporations like YouTube or Facebook to safeguard the linguistic heritage of minority communities. These companies have their own economic and political agendas that may not align with the goals of language preservation. The risk is that technological changes or business decisions could lead to the disappearance of this valuable content.

Also, Twitter was recently blocked in Brazil due to repeated violations of local legislation, hindering millions’ access to the social network and the language resources and profiles that promote language revitalization. 

Moreover, access to these digital tools is not universal. In many remote areas, internet connectivity is still unreliable, making it difficult for some communities to engage with online platforms fully.

The future of language preservation

While the Internet may not be a perfect solution for language preservation, it has opened up new possibilities for communities striving to keep their languages alive. Digital activism has enabled endangered languages to reach a global audience, providing platforms for cultural pride and education.

Social media will remain vital as the fight to save endangered languages continues. Whether through YouTube tutorials, language apps, or online communities, the digital world offers a chance to preserve languages and their rich cultural histories.

Even if some languages ultimately vanish, their voices will live on in the Internet’s archives, a testament to the resilience of the people who fought to keep them alive.

Raphael Tsavkko Garcia has a PhD in human rights and has written for various publications, such as Al Jazeera, MIT Tech Review, and Newsweek.

The post How To Save a Dying Language first appeared on Lazo Magazine.