剑桥9 谢振礼 雅思范文: 语言消失
Cambridge English 9
IELTS Writing Task 2
Topic:
Every year several languages die out. Some people think that it is not important and that life will be made easier if there are fewer languages in the world. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Essay: ielts360toefl@hotmail.com writing correction service
Should we care about the death of many languages that are not used any more? It seems that the debate will continue so long as several languages keep dying out every year. Some will feel like it is a huge loss, whereas others will feel like the world might be an easier place if fewer languages are spoken across the globe.
The one side of the debate suggests that if a language dies, it has done so for at least two reasons, and we do not have to try and preserve something that is not needed. One reason is that a language death is the result of cultural assimilation, and this is when the more dominant culture starts to influence the smaller minority culture. Another reason is a decline in usage by younger generations, which means language loss, like species loss, is just a fact of life on an ever-evolving planet. For these reasons, trying to hold on a dead language only shows a desire to cling to the past rather than move forward. In the future, having a universal language that everyone speaks will be a major advancement as there is no more “language barriers”. We should realize that if we devote too much energy and resources to something that “could-have-been” “has-been”, then we are missing the reality of the world today.
The other side of the debate insists that we should care about the language death because language has links to cultural identity and knowledge, and these will be lost if the language dies. A language is much more than a means of communication, and by spending money to protect minority languages, governments can preserve traditions, customs and behaviors that are part of a country’s heritage. Ironically, many people know about the threatened polar bear and extinct pigeon, but few have heard of endangered and extinct languages on Earth. For that matter, linguists are scrambling to document and archive the diversity of quickly disappearing languages. Their efforts include making dictionaries, recording histories and traditions, and translating oral stories. If there is really good documentation, then there is a chance that these languages could be revitalized in the future even after they cease to be spoken.
In conclusion, it is a huge loss when a language is dead along with its cultural characteristics, whereas life will be made easier if there are fewer languages in the world. The debate is a matter of opinions. Some people seem to be more worried than others.
