The Effects of Cultural Assimilation on the Loss of the Tuvan and Seri Languages

Abstract

The modern pressure to learn dominant, mainstream languages such as English, Spanish, and Mandarin increases connectivity and communication across different societies. However, when members of society succumb to cultural pressures of assimilation, they often abandon native tongues in the process (Crystal, 2002). Cultural traditions are lost when languages are lost, and indigeous cultures die. In fact, it is estimated that one language dies every two weeks, and more than a thousand languages today are listed as critically or severely endangered (Rymer, 2012). Some academics such as Wang (2007) suggest that the convergence of cultures and languages can promote integration and harmony. However, most academics view the deterioration of indigenous languages to be a negative phenomenon. In fact, Crystal (1999) asserts that diversity is a key to evolutionary success and that increased uniformity threatens the long-term survival of the human species. Diversity allows for a species to survive across different environments. This paper will review how the rise of dominant languages such as Chinese and Spanish has led to the erosion of the Tuvan and Seri languages and ultimately, the loss of identity ––the loss of culture, traditions, and customs