The New Nation - Internet Edition

PTI, New York

More than half of the world's 6,700 spoken languages face extinction and on an average one language disappears somewhere in the world, the United Nations warned as it kicked off the International Year of Languages.

The year is being observed under the shadow of experts estimate that currently 96 percent of the languages are spoken only by four percent of the world population with globalisation placing many under grave threat.

In a message marking International Mother Language Day, UNESCO Director-General Ko
"Far from being a field reserved for analysis by specialists, languages lie at the heart of all social, economic and cultural life," Matsuura said, stressing UNESCO'S slogan for the year-'Languages matter!'

The agency held a series of events - including a round table, a seminar, several presentations and an information workshop - at its Paris headquarters to mark the Day and launch the International Year.

International Mother Language Day has been observed every year since 2000, and this year UNESCO said it had placed special emphasis on international instruments and standards that encourage multilingualism.

The agency warned that when a language fades, so does a part of the world's cultural tapestry. "Opportunities, traditions, memory, unique modes of thinking and expression - valuable resources for ensuring a better future are also lost," UNESCO said in a statement.