IELTS essay sample | Languages are dying around the world. Is this a positive development?

IELTS essay topic

Several languages die every year. Many people feel this is a positive trend and that a world with fewer languages promotes harmony and understanding between people. Analyze both sides of this argument and provide your opinion.

Sample essay

Each year many languages around the world die because people are adopting some international dialects that are widely spoken. Whether this is a positive development or a negative development is debatable.

Some people believe that fewer languages will promote better harmony and understanding. This is true to a certain extent. We feel an immediate connection to people who speak our own language. If all of us spoke the same language, the world would definitely be a better place to live in. People will be able to travel to any part of the world and conduct business. When language barriers disappear a lot of conflicts will also disappear. In other words, a world where just one language is spoken is more likely to be a world filled with peace and harmony. Tourism will also flourish and lead to economic development.

On the flip side, when a language dies the culture associated with it also dies. The wealth of knowledge and information contained in the literature of that knowledge will become inaccessible to future generations. This is not a positive development. Archeologists have unearthed stone carvings and artefacts from various parts of the world. They still have not been able to decipher many of these inscriptions because those languages have died and no one can read them now.

In the modern world, where we have access to sophisticated transportation and communication tools, we probably need only one language. This, however, does not mean that we should let languages die. Language is the reflection of a culture. We can’t let it die. In addition to our mother tongue, maybe we can all learn a more popular language like English for business and travel purposes.

To conclude, one language will definitely bring us closer to the concept of one world. However, in my opinion, every nation and every society that respects their culture and heritage has a responsibility to protect their languages.

Manjusha Nambiar

Hi, I'm Manjusha. This is my blog where I give IELTS preparation tips.

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