I came across this on a Gaelic forum (Foram na gaidhlig).
I thought it so true that I'm passing it on.

Quote from Leanne Hinton Berkeley University in the USA

More broadly, the loss of language is part of the loss of whole cultures and
knowledge
systems, including philosophical systems, oral literacy and musical
traditions,
environmental knowledge systems, medical knowledge and important cultural
practices and
artistic skills.
The world stands to lose an important part of the sum of human knowledge
whenever a language
stops being used. Just as the human species is putting itself in danger
through the destruction of species diversity, so might we be in danger from
loss of the diversity of
knowledge systems.


Tom