Endangered languages: “When it comes to vocabulary, the story about the Eskimos’ many words for snow, to match the many varieties they encounter, is well known. It is also wrong, according to Andrew Dalby in his book ‘Language in Danger’. Inuit does have quite a range of different words for snow, but so, for example, does English: snow, sleet, slush and so on. The total is about the same, but the Inuit words make different distinctions from the English ones, such as ‘snow on the ground’, ‘falling snow’ or ‘drifting snow’. However, the point of the story remains valid: each language reflects its users’ particular needs and concerns.”

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