There are thousands of languages in the world. Some are spoken by billions of people, others by less than one hundred! Which country has the most languages? In this episode I’ll answer that question, look at some of the languages spoken in that country, and try to explain why there are so many!
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VOCABULARY LIST
Diversity (n) - a range of different things or people
The wonderful diversity of our country’s wildlife is now under threat
Inhabitant (v) - a person or animal that lives in a particular place
That city has 5 million inhabitants
Linguistically (adv) - in a way that is connected with language or the study of language
Apparently Silicon Valley has become one of the most linguistically diverse places in America
Dialect (n) - a form of a language that people speak in a particular part of a country, containing some different words and grammar, etc.
The poem is written in northern dialect
Descend from (Phrasal v) - if one thing descend from or is descended from another, the later thing develops from the earlier thing
Romance languages are directly descended from Latin
Ancestor (n) - a person related to you who lived a long time ago
There were portraits of his ancestors on the walls of the room
Indigenous (adj) - existing naturally or having always lived in a place; native
The Navajos are among the indigenous people of North America
Colonist (n) - someone who lives in or goes to live in a country or area that is a colony
The first American colonists arrived in the 17th century
Creole (n) - a language that has developed from a mixture of languages
Many Afro-Caribbean Englishes are creoles
Tribe (n) - a group of people, often of related families, who live together, sharing the same language, culture, and history, especially those who do not live in towns or cities
The Masai tribe live in Africa
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
Q. Apart from English, what languages are native to the UK?
A. Welsh, Gaelic, Scots, Ulster scots, Irish, and Cornish!
Q. How many languages are spoken in Papua New Guinea?
A. About 850
Q. Why are there so many languages in Papua New Guinea?
A. The geographical conditions, isolated tribes, and a long history are the perfect ingredients to create a huge range of languages.
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