A language becomes dead when no one uses it anymore, just like how a plant dies if you forget to water it. If people stop talking in their native language and start using another, the old one may slowly disappear over time. It's like a game: if no one plays it, it stops being fun.
Examples
- A grandma speaks French with her grandchild, but the child prefers speaking English at school and with friends.
- Children in a village learn only Spanish because their parents use it to talk to customers at work.
- An old language is passed on through songs sung at festivals, if no one sings them anymore, the language dies.
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See also
- What Makes a ‘Language’ Spread and Why Do Some Languages Disappear?
- Why Do We Use Different Languages in Different Places?
- How Do We Know a Language Is ‘Alive’?
- How Does a Language Change Over Time?
- How Do Maps Help Us Find Our Way?
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