Daniel Kaufman Discusses Endangered Languages on WBUR's 'Here & Now'

Professor Daniel Kaufman (GC/Queens, Linguistics) was featured in a recent public radio segment that explored New York City's endangered languages.

Many of the estimated 800 languages spoken in New York City are at risk of falling out of use, according to the Endangered Language Alliance, a nonprofit founded by Kaufman that records and identifies these languages.
 
"Everybody wants their children to continue their culture, but the fear is even more serious when the culture itself is not being passed down even back home," Kaufman told Robin Young of WBUR's "Here & Now."

"It can become illegal to speak your language. Children can be beaten in school if they're caught speaking their language."

Listeners can hear examples of some of these endangered languages, including Romansh, Tzotzil, and Chamorro, by visiting "The Immigrant Languages of New York City."