Buzz
Throughout history, dead languages like ancient Egyptian have come and gone. Yet, thanks to advancements in science and linguistics, some of these languages have been brought back to life, making a remarkable return in contemporary society. Here are ten such languages that historians have successfully revived.
10. Hebrew
Hebrew, once a prominent language in ancient civilizations, began to fade by the 3rd century BC. Replaced by Aramaic, which was commonly spoken in Israel, Palestine, and surrounding areas at the time, Hebrew seemed to be on its last legs.
Although Hebrew gradually disappeared, it remained in use for religious texts up until the 13th century, when it officially ceased to be spoken. After lying dormant for many centuries, the language saw a revival in the 19th century thanks to the efforts of a group of dedicated scholars.
A group of scholars made a vow to speak exclusively in Hebrew at home and launched several Hebrew newspapers. This initiative was part of a broader Jewish Enlightenment movement where Jews sought to reconnect with their ancient cultural roots.
The movement proved highly successful, with around nine million native Hebrew speakers today, alongside approximately six million people who regard Hebrew as their first language.
9. Sanskrit
Sanskrit had been considered a dead language by the early first millennium BC. However, it continued to survive in the form of written texts, particularly in ancient Indian religious scriptures.
It wasn't until the late 1800s that theosophists in India worked to revive the language actively. This included creating workshops, organizing Sanskrit competitions, and even introducing Sanskrit as a subject in schools and universities.
Sanskrit is now an official language in several Indian states, with around 25,000 speakers of this revived ancient tongue.
8. Manchu
Manchu was a language native to the Manchuria region in Northeast China, widely spoken during the Qing Dynasty. However, after the dynasty's fall, the language began to rapidly decline as Mandarin Chinese took over, and Manchu speakers were persecuted.
Despite the decline, some Manchu speakers managed to survive in remote villages in rural China. Their continued use of the language provided enough of a foundation for it to gradually be revived in post-Mao China.
During this time, the persecution of Manchu speakers eased. In a bid to preserve their heritage, many began organizing Manchu language classes to restore the language they had nearly lost.
Currently, fewer than 1,000 people worldwide speak Manchu. However, various NGOs and nonprofit organizations are working to promote Manchu language courses in hopes of increasing the number of speakers in the future.
7. Te Reo Māori
Te reo Māori is the language spoken by the indigenous people of New Zealand, who are of Polynesian origin. This language was the most widely spoken in the country at the beginning of the 19th century.
However, as more English-speaking settlers began arriving in New Zealand in the 20th century, te reo Māori was primarily spoken within Māori communities. By 1858, the Native School Act was passed, which prohibited the use of te reo Māori in schools.
This law caused the language's decline, and by the mid-20th century, te reo Māori was nearly extinct. In the 1970s, however, a group called Ngā Tamatoa, or the Young Warriors, campaigned for the language to be taught in schools and promoted within the community.
Approximately twenty years after the decline of te reo, New Zealand officially recognized it as one of the nation's official languages with the passing of the Maori Language Act in 1987. Today, nearly 180,000 people speak te reo, with the majority residing in New Zealand.
5. Manx
Manx is the native tongue of the Isle of Man, located in the United Kingdom. While once predominantly spoken on the island, the language started to fade in the 19th century as English became more widely used. Islanders began to believe that English would offer a better future for their children, so they chose to raise them speaking English. UNESCO declared the language extinct by 2009.
Nevertheless, Manx has experienced a revival, mainly due to the efforts of Brian Stowell. Stowell was inspired to learn the language after reading an article in 1953 about the sadness of one man over its decline. Together with the article's author, the two men started a group that would meet to listen to Manx recordings and work on restoring the language.
Today, the movement has gained momentum, with some primary schools on the Isle of Man offering classes entirely in Manx. Currently, there are estimated to be around 2,000 speakers of the language, though fluency levels may vary.
5. Cornish
Cornish is the indigenous language of Cornwall and was once a Celtic language spoken in the region before the arrival of the Germanic Anglo-Saxons. Despite Cornwall's strong Celtic heritage, the language began to decline around the late 1200s.
The decline was primarily due to the ongoing migration of Anglo-Saxons into the area and the growing influence of Christianity. Since the Christian Bible had not been translated into Cornish, English began to replace Cornish as the spoken language for many.
By 1777, the last native speaker of Cornish passed away, taking the language with her. However, in the 19th century, modern scholars revived Cornish using written records and by drawing from related languages like Welsh and Breton.
Today, some families in Cornwall are raising their children to speak Cornish, and local schools are offering classes in the language. While the exact number of speakers is unknown, it is estimated that around 500 individuals are fluent in Cornish.
4. Wampanoag
Wampanoag is the language of the Wampanoag Nation, a Native American tribe that historically resided in southern Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Unfortunately, the tribe was nearly wiped out by English settlers in the 1600s.
English settlers made efforts to assimilate the Wampanoag people, along with other Native American tribes, into English society. They founded institutions aimed at teaching English and Christianity to the indigenous peoples, leading to the gradual erosion of native languages and customs.
By the 19th century, the Wampanoag language, like many other Native American languages, had disappeared. However, in the late 1990s, a Wampanoag woman named Jesse Little Doe Baird took the initiative to revive the language.
Using a Wampanoag Bible translation, she worked alongside professors at MIT to reconstruct the language. Though still rare, there are now around 75 speakers of Wampanoag, and efforts to teach the language within Native American communities suggest that this number could continue to rise.
3. ‘Ōlelo Hawai’i
‘Ōlelo Hawai’i, also known as Hawaiian, is the indigenous language of Hawaii. Like te reo Māori, it is a Polynesian language. Originally, it was purely oral, with no written form.
When English-speaking settlers arrived on the islands in the 18th and 19th centuries, they made English the official language, pushing Hawaiian out of daily life. Western attitudes toward Hawaiian traditions and language led to the gradual suppression of the language. By 1898, when Hawaii became a U.S. territory, Hawaiian was banned from schools, and speaking it was penalized.
As a result, Hawaiian nearly went extinct by the mid-1900s. However, in the 1960s and 1970s, a resurgence of interest in Native Hawaiian culture led locals to fight for the revitalization of their language. In 1978, Hawaiian was officially recognized as a state language, making Hawaii the only U.S. state with two official languages.
Today, ‘Ōlelo Hawai’i is taught in Hawaiian schools and is a vital part of the island culture. With around 2,000 speakers, the language is experiencing a revival, and the number of speakers continues to grow.
2. Irish Gaelic
Irish Gaelic is the native language of Ireland and shares strong ties with Scottish Gaelic. Like Scottish Gaelic, it faced significant decline in the 1600s due to English-imposed laws that prohibited the speaking of Irish. Children caught speaking the language in school were punished, and legislation was enacted to ensure Irish wasn’t used in government affairs.
As a result of these oppressive measures, Irish Gaelic had nearly disappeared by the early 19th century. It was only spoken in a few rural communities, and even then, it was mostly used in private to avoid persecution.
In the latter part of the 19th century, however, interest in reviving the Irish language grew. A man named Eoin MacNeill led a movement, founding the Gaelic League with the goal of reinstating Gaelic in government and schools.
The effort proved successful, and Irish Gaelic was gradually reintroduced into schools, government, and local communities. Today, it is estimated that between 40,000 and 80,000 people are fluent in Irish Gaelic.
9. Livonian
Livonian is the native language of the Livonian people from Latvia, historically spoken by those living in Latvia and eastern Estonia. The language began to decline due to increased interaction with the Baltic people who moved into the region in the 19th century.
Despite this, Livonian survived to some extent until 2013, when the last native speaker passed away. Since Latvia regained independence from Russia, the country has made a concerted effort to revive its cultural heritage, including a push to bring Livonian back. Today, there are estimated to be just a few dozen speakers of the language.
