About Language

Language Origins - When did humans develop language? Are the origins of language lost in the mist of time, or does science provide us with some clues as to when, how, and why this ability appeared in humans? more - >

The Range of World Languages -As you look at the map of the continents, imagine that by some estimates there are roughly 6,800 languages spoken on this planet. 96% of them are spoken by a mere 4% of the world’s population. more ->

Language Families - In some cases, it is easier than in other cases. Let's look at the Romance languages. We know that Italian, for instance, is a descendant of Latin, a language that was spoken in Italy two thousand years ago, and one which left a great number of written documents.
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Endangered Languages - Endangered languages are languages that are on the brink of extinction, much like endangered species of plants or animals. more - >

Writing Systems- Writing may have evolved independently at different times in different parts of the world, although some languages also borrowed their orthography from other languages. more ->

International Languages- The original official languages of the UN were English, Chinese, French, and Russian, the languages of the permanent members of the Security Council. The choice was largely political. more ->

Internet Languages- More and more users are plugging into the Internet worldwide. The WWW is no longer the exclusive domain of English speakers. So what are the other popular languages of the Internet, besides English? Here are some interesting facts.
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Languages Spoken in the US - You might be surprised to know that for more than 200 years, Americans have gotten by without declaring English their official language. more ->

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