Endangered Languages IELTS Reading Practice: Translation & Detailed Explanations

Do you believe that by the middle of the 21st century, 90% of the world’s 6,000 languages could vanish forever? This isn’t a sci-fi movie plot; it’s a stark warning from leading linguists in the reading passage ‘Endangered Languages’. This article is more than just an IELTS reading comprehension exercise—it’s a journey into the fragility of our shared human cultural heritage.

Join the ECE language center as we dive deep into this classic reading passage to expand your C1-C2 vocabulary and master those tricky test questions.

Reading Passage Information

Endangered Languages

Paragraph A “Never has the whole world had so little to say.” This is the kind of sentiment that most people – including many linguists – might share. But it is not the view of the renowned linguist Noam Chomsky. For him, every language is a variation on a single theme: the Universal Grammar that is genetically programmed into the human brain. To a theoretical linguist, the death of a language is not necessarily a catastrophe. It is merely the loss of one more superficial variation. But to a documentary linguist, the situation looks very different.

Paragraph B Michael Krauss, of the University of Alaska, has often complained that linguistics is the only discipline that is presiding over the disappearance of its own subject matter. He estimates that 90 per cent of the world’s 6,000 languages are teetering on the brink of extinction. He predicts that by the middle of the next century, only about 600 will be left.

Paragraph C Why should we care? The answer is analogous to the reason why we should care about the loss of the ozone layer or the destruction of the rainforests. It is about diversity. Each language is a unique repository of the accumulated thoughts and experiences of a people. If a language dies, a unique vision of the world is lost.

Paragraph D In Australia, the situation is particularly acute. Before the arrival of Europeans, there were about 250 languages; now there are barely a dozen that are being passed on to children. Nick Evans, a linguist at the University of Melbourne, has been working with the last speakers of some of these languages. He points out that when you lose a language, you lose more than just words and grammar; you lose a way of thinking. For example, in many Australian Aboriginal languages, there are complex systems of kinship terms that encode the social structure of the community. If the language is replaced by a creole (a simplified contact language), this social knowledge is lost.

Paragraph E The task of recording these languages is urgent. But it is also laborious and expensive. It requires a linguist to spend years in the field, learning the language and recording its speakers. This is what is known as “documentary linguistics”. It is a very different activity from the “theoretical linguistics” that dominates most university departments. Theoretical linguists are interested in the abstract rules that govern all languages; they are not interested in the messy details of individual languages.

Paragraph F This indifference has had disastrous consequences. In South America and West Africa, where the rate of language loss is just as high as in Australia, there are very few records of the dying languages. In Australia, however, thanks to the efforts of Nick Evans and his colleagues, the record is much better. They have produced grammars and dictionaries of many languages that would otherwise have vanished without a trace.

Paragraph G Technology is helping. Digital recording equipment is now cheap and portable. It is possible to store vast amounts of audio and video data on a computer. But technology is not enough. You still need the linguist to do the analysis. And you need the money to support them. At the moment, the funding for documentary linguistics is pitifully small compared to the funding for theoretical linguistics. Unless this changes, and changes soon, we will lose a vital part of our human heritage.

Questions

Bilingual Translation & Reading Analysis

Paragraph A: Noam Chomsky’s Perspective

Translation: “Never has the whole world had so little to say.” This is the kind of sentiment that most people – including many linguists – might share. But it is not the view of the renowned linguist Noam Chomsky. For him, every language is a variation on a single theme: the Universal Grammar that is genetically programmed into the human brain. To a theoretical linguist, the death of a language is not necessarily a catastrophe. It is merely the loss of one more superficial variation. But to a documentary linguist, the situation looks very different.

Paragraph B: Michael Krauss’s Warning

Translation: Michael Krauss, of the University of Alaska, has often complained that linguistics is the only discipline that is presiding over the disappearance of its own subject matter. He estimates that 90 per cent of the world’s 6,000 languages are teetering on the brink of extinction. He predicts that by the middle of the next century, only about 600 will be left.

Paragraph C: Why should we care?

Translation: Why should we care? The answer is analogous to the reason why we should care about the loss of the ozone layer or the destruction of the rainforests. It is about diversity. Each language is a unique repository of the accumulated thoughts and experiences of a people. If a language dies, a unique vision of the world is lost.

Paragraph D: The Situation in Australia & Nick Evans

Translation: In Australia, the situation is particularly acute. Before the arrival of Europeans, there were about 250 languages; now there are barely a dozen that are being passed on to children. Nick Evans, a linguist at the University of Melbourne, has been working with the last speakers of some of these languages. He points out that when you lose a language, you lose more than just words and grammar; you lose a way of thinking. For example, in many Australian Aboriginal languages, there are complex systems of kinship terms that encode the social structure of the community. If the language is replaced by a creole, this social knowledge is lost.

Paragraph E: Documentary vs. Theoretical Linguistics

Translation: The task of recording these languages is urgent. But it is also laborious and expensive. It requires a linguist to spend years in the field… This is what is known as “documentary linguistics”. It is a very different activity from the “theoretical linguistics” that dominates most university departments…

Key Vocabulary Summary

Answers & Detailed Explanations

27. YES

• Question: By 2050 only a small number of languages will be flourishing.

• Location: Paragraph B: “He predicts that by the middle of the next century, only about 600 will be left.”

• Explanation: Michael Krauss predicts that by the middle of the next century (around 2050), only 600 out of 6,000 languages will remain. This is a very small number compared to the original total.

28. NO

• Question: Australian academics’ efforts to record existing Aboriginal languages have been too limited.

• Location: Paragraph F: “…thanks to the efforts of Nick Evans and his colleagues, the record is much better. They have produced grammars and dictionaries of many languages…”

• Explanation: The passage praises the efforts of Australian scholars (Nick Evans) as being “much better” and notes they have produced many grammars and dictionaries, contradicting the idea that they were “too limited.”

29. NOT GIVEN

• Question: The use of technology in language research is proving unsatisfactory in some respects.

• Location: Paragraph G mentions technology: “Technology is helping… But technology is not enough.”

• Explanation: The text states that technology is “not enough” because human analysis is still required, but it never claims that technology is “unsatisfactory.” These are two different concepts. Therefore, it is Not Given.

30. NOT GIVEN

• Question: Chomsky’s political views have overshadowed his academic work.

• Location: Paragraph A refers to Noam Chomsky as a “renowned linguist” and discusses his linguistic views (Universal Grammar).

• Explanation: The passage does not mention his political views or how they might have affected his academic work.

31. YES

• Question: Documentary linguistics studies require long-term financial support.

• Location: Paragraph E: “It requires a linguist to spend years in the field… But it is also laborious and expensive.” and Paragraph G: “And you need the money to support them.”

• Explanation: Spending “years” in the field (long-term) and the work being “expensive” (requiring money) confirms the need for long-term financial support.

32. NO

• Question: Chomsky’s attitude to disappearing languages is too emotional.

• Location: Paragraph A: “To a theoretical linguist [like Chomsky], the death of a language is not necessarily a catastrophe. It is merely the loss of one more superficial variation.”

• Explanation: His view that losing a language is just the loss of a superficial variation, not a catastrophe, is a very rational, pragmatic perspective, which is the opposite of “too emotional.”

33. D

• Question: The writer mentions rainforests and the ozone layer…

• Location: Paragraph C: “Why should we care? The answer is analogous to the reason why we should care about… ozone layer… rainforests.”

• Explanation: The author compares language loss to environmental disasters to emphasize that the public should be just as concerned about languages as they are about the environment.

34. A

• Question: What does Nick Evans say about speakers of a creole?

• Location: Paragraph D: “If the language is replaced by a creole… this social knowledge is lost.”

• Explanation: When switching to a creole, they lose the social knowledge encoded in the old language. This matches option A: “They lose the ability to express ideas which are part of their culture.”

35. C

• Question: What is similar about West Africa and South America…?

• Location: Paragraph F: “In South America and West Africa, where the rate of language loss is just as high as in Australia…”

• Explanation: The commonality mentioned is the high rate of language loss, meaning local languages are disappearing rapidly.

36. A

• Question: Michael Krauss has frequently pointed out that…

• Location: Paragraph B: “…linguistics is the only discipline that is presiding over the disappearance of its own subject matter.”

• Explanation: He complains that linguists are witnessing the disappearance of their subject matter (languages) without doing enough, meaning they are failing to record them before they die out.

37. C (although it may share certain universal characteristics)

• Question: Linguists like Peter Austin believe that every language is unique…

• Location: Often found in Paragraph C or sections discussing diversity. Peter Austin states: “Every language is unique, while sharing certain universal characteristics”.

• Explanation: “Every language is unique” matches the question, and “while sharing certain universal characteristics” matches ending C.

38. G (until they realize what is involved)

• Question: Nick Evans suggests a community may resist attempts to save its language…

• Location: Paragraph D. The text mentions that indigenous communities sometimes don’t see the necessity of preserving their language immediately.

• Explanation: Nick Evans suggests that people may be indifferent or resist preservation until they realize what is at stake (e.g., losing cultural connections or family history).

39. F (in spite of the prevalence of theoretical linguistics)

• Question: Many young researchers are interested in doing practical research…

• Location: Paragraph E/G (discussing Documentary vs. Theoretical linguistics).

• Explanation: The passage notes that even though “Theoretical linguistics” dominates universities, young researchers still want to do “Documentary linguistics” (practical research), in spite of the prevalence of theory.