A Language with Only One Speaker
die out: to gradually disappear until there is none left
N|uu is a language with only one fluent speaker. Her name is Ouma Katrina Esau, and she is 90 years old. She is working hard to keep N|uu from dying out. Linguists are helping her teach the language to children so it will not be lost forever.
N|uu is a click language spoken by the Khomani people in the Kalahari Desert. These people have lived there for over 20,000 years. In the 19th century, the British Empire tried to stop people from speaking their languages. This made it hard for N|uu to survive.
Today, Ouma Katrina is helping to create a digital dictionary and a children’s book in N|uu. She and her granddaughter, Claudia Snyman, are teaching local school kids the language. The children learn greetings, songs, and simple stories. This way, N|uu can live on in the next generation.
Sample sentences
1. Many old traditions die out because young people do not practice them anymore.
2. If we do not take action, many animal species will die out in the near future.
3. Some plants die out when their natural habitat is destroyed.
Read More:
N|uu, The World’s Most Endangered Language, Has Just One Fluent Speaker Left