dead language
Sign in to savelanguage that is no longer the native language of any community, even if it is still in use
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A dead language is one that no longer has any native speakers in everyday communities, even though it might still be studied or used in specific contexts like religious ceremonies or academic settings. Understanding dead languages matters because they preserve historical records, reveal how languages change over time, and help us connect with the cultures and civilizations that created them.
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A piece of Eteocypriot writing from Amathous, Cyprus, dated c. 500–300 BCE, on display at Ashmolean Museum An extinct language or dead language is a language with no living native speakers. A heritage language, or sometimes a dormant language, is an extinct language that still serves as a symbol of ethnic identity to an ethnic group; these languages are often undergoing a process of revitalisation. Languages that have first-language speakers are known as living languages.
Languages have typically become extinct as a result of the process of cultural assimilation leading to language shift, and the gradual abandonment of a native language in favor of a foreign lingua franca.