JW.ORG: 1090 languages and growing!

[Victoria]

18 minutes ago, jwhess said:

Remember there are almost 7000 languages on this planet.  Here is an interesting quote from the "Linguistics Society Org.

 

As of 2009, at least a portion of the bible had been translated into 2,508 different languages, still a long way short of full coverage. The most extensive catalog of the world’s languages, generally taken to be as authoritative as any, is that of Ethnologue (published by SIL International), whose detailed classified list as of 2009 included 6,909 distinct languages.

I can assure you that some languages listed there do not exist. I know for sure that there are no sign languages of Moldova and Ukraine. The deaf speak Russian Sign Language there. And as far as I know RSL is spoken by the deaf throughout the former USSR.

To my mind some languages are spoken by people who don't use Internet and even don't have electricity.

[Raven]

1 hour ago, Victoria said:

I can assure you that some languages listed there do not exist. I know for sure that there are no sign languages of Moldova and Ukraine. The deaf speak Russian Sign Language there. And as far as I know RSL is spoken by the deaf throughout the former USSR.

To my mind some languages are spoken by people who don't use Internet and even don't have electricity.

That is interesting, as that would mean that there are less languages than they are stating. Plus, I believe that list also includes at least one constructed language, Esperanto.

And yes, some languages are indeed spoken by disconnected peoples, such as un-contacted tribes, who likely wouldn't even know what the Internet was.

Edited February 11, 2019 by Bjern

[jwhess]

1 hour ago, Victoria said:

I can assure you that some languages listed there do not exist. I know for sure that there are no sign languages of Moldova and Ukraine. The deaf speak Russian Sign Language there. And as far as I know RSL is spoken by the deaf throughout the former USSR.

To my mind some languages are spoken by people who don't use Internet and even don't have electricity.

I am sure the list includes many of those languages spoken by less than 100 people left alive today.  So we can reduce the number to 6000?

On the second thought, don't those 100 people deserve to know the Truth also?

 

EDIT:  The editors at infoplease state that about 2000 languages are spoken by less that 1000 people each.  " However, about 2,000 of those languages have fewer than 1,000 speakers."

Edited February 11, 2019 by jwhess

[Raven]

31 minutes ago, jwhess said:

I am sure the list includes many of those languages spoken by less than 100 people left alive today.  So we can reduce the number to 6000?

On the second thought, don't those 100 people deserve to know the Truth also?

 

EDIT:  The editors at infoplease state that about 2000 languages are spoken by less that 1000 people each.  " However, about 2,000 of those languages have fewer than 1,000 speakers."

Yeah, I posted a bit about that in the OP...

On 7/11/2017 at 8:36 AM, Bjern said:

"Endangered Languages":
On the other side of the list, 1,955 languages have less than 1,000 native speakers. About 692 of those languages have less than 100 native speakers, and 363 of that number have less than 10 native speakers left. About 219 of those languages exist solely as an auxiliary language and has no native speakers left at all, or exist as a constructed language that a mere handful of people, and in some cases just a single person, can speak it to varying degrees of fluency. 199 languages have unknown statistics.
Apparently the least spoken native language in the world is Taushiro (Pinche), a Peruvian language spoken fluently by only one elderly man.

Since posting that, I've discovered that quite a number of languages currently have only one speaker left. Also, those rare languages are fast dying out. Languages that get literature and the Bible translated for them are preserved far better, but this is difficult when the language has no written form, as many languages don't.

[Victoria]

3 hours ago, jwhess said:

 

On the second thought, don't those 100 people deserve to know the Truth also?

They probably can understand the official language of their country.

[Dages]

Yes, I think, among the thousands of languages, for the very rare one, I'm sure most of them are bilingual or trilingual, for tribalistic or nationalistic reasons/context.

[jwhess]

I apologize if my off-hand comment has caused this thread to drift off-topic.  My original comment on the number of languages was a simple reminder that the number 1000 (of which we are just 9 away from completing), is not a particular goal.  Armageddon will not start when we reach 1000, nor will our organization stop translating.  After 1000 languages are translated, we will soon see 1001.  That was all I meant.  Sorry for the misdirection.

[ste]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_official_languages

 

According to this list there are 209 official languages of Sovereign countries and 147 regional or minor official languages (and there is quite a bit of overlap in the two lists). Even not accounting for overlap that gives a total of 356, which puts the 991 figure into perspective. It is no wonder people seeing our literature are amazed as they will likely have seen little or nothing in print in their language before. I think it's safe to say that 99.9% of the population speak a language we have literature for (though possibly not their first language). The translation currently taking place is truly a modern day miracle. 

[jwhess]

Our organization takes the scriptures to heart.  To the best of our ability we will reach the hearts of all humans in the language of their birth.  To read of God’s love in the language of the ruling party in your country is not the same as God appealing to you in the language and thoughts of your heart.  We will try our best.  99% is good but we strive for better.

Rev 14:6…”…and he had everlasting good news to declare to those who dwell on the earth, to every nation and tribe and tongue and people.”

 

[humble bumble bee]

3 hours ago, jwhess said:

not a particular goal

But a nice milestone

[Raven]

5 hours ago, jwhess said:

I apologize if my off-hand comment has caused this thread to drift off-topic.  My original comment on the number of languages was a simple reminder that the number 1000 (of which we are just 9 away from completing), is not a particular goal.  Armageddon will not start when we reach 1000, nor will our organization stop translating.  After 1000 languages are translated, we will soon see 1001.  That was all I meant.  Sorry for the misdirection.

No need to apologize, you haven't derailed the thread. On the contrary, we enjoy your contributing comments. 😉 

[Alexa]

According to my notes from a recent public talk, there are 6700 languages but only 100 major languages because this 100 languages are used by 90% of people at the whole. Surprisingly, the Bible reach also those minor groups who consist of 10% and it is translated to 2400 languages @jwhess 

[BenJepthah]

Is it time to have a Global Countdown party?

[jwhess]

10 hours ago, BenJepthah said:

Is it time to have a Global Countdown party?

Br. David, I started mine back in the 1950s.  It is a lot like the "Doomsday Clock" of the nuclear scientists.  Sometimes I advance it a little and sometimes I set is back a little.  Like their clock, mine is set  in the "last hour"...😉

[Sepie93]

993

Just 7 languages to go to reach a 1000


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[JPWRana]

993

Just 7 languages to go to reach a 1000


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Which languages are the new ones?

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[Sepie93]

Lenakel language:

 

Lenakel, or West Tanna, is a dialect chain spoken on the western coast of Tanna Island in Vanuatu.

 

Native speakers:

approximately 12000

 

jw.org content:

Introductions for the ministry; Who are Jehovah's Witnesses.

 

Uripiv:

 

Uripiv is a dialect of the language spoken on the north-east coast of Malakula. The language is referred to as Northeast Malakula, or Uripiv-Wala-Rano-Atchin, and is spoken on the islands of Uripiv, Wala, Rano, and Atchin and on the mainland opposite to these islands.

 

Native speakers:

approximately 9000

 

jw.org content:

Introductions for the ministry; Who are Jehovah's Witnesses.

 

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[humble bumble bee]

So two new languages were added from the same Island group of Vanuatu

 

A third language was added! 

 

The time before Armenian (Eastern dialect) was added but "Karabakh" removed because they are names for the same language. 

See this article:

What is the "Karabakh" language at the Jehovah's Witnesses website?

 

3rd Tem (Temba), or Kotokoli (Cotocoli), is a Gur language spoken in Togo, Ghana, and Benin. It is used by neighboring peoples.

 

[humble bumble bee]

994 - Bhojpuri is an Indo-Aryan language spoken in the North-Eastern part of India and the Terai region of Nepal. It is chiefly spoken in western Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh. 

 

Outside South Asia 

Bhojpuri is also spoken by people who were brought as indentured labourers in the 19th century and early 20th century, for work in plantations during British colonial era, to Mauritius 66,893 speakers, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Suriname, Fiji, other parts of the Caribbean, Jamaica, and South Africa.

 

Content: Video - Why Study the Bible

There is also a Congregation Group

Triolet Bhojpuri - TRIOLET

Mauritius 

[Sepie93]

995 languages
Not sure which one is added, though.

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[Raven]

4 hours ago, Sepie93 said:

995 languages
Not sure which one is added, though.

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That's just 5 more to go!

 

An update on the other two sites...

 

JW tv: 282.

Online WT library: 626.

[Raven]

1 hour ago, Bjern said:

JW tv: 282.

Just to put some perspective on this, I believe that Netflix is currently only available in about 15 languages.

[Tortuga]

5 minutes ago, Bjern said:

Just to put some perspective on this, I believe that Netflix is currently only available in about 15 languages.

The United Nations site lists only 6 languages...

6....hummm...just 1 short of perfection

How is it going to bring peace and security if it's in only 6 languages?....

 

The Church of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) site is available in 30 languages...

Edited February 28, 2019 by Tortuga

[Raven]

1 hour ago, Tortuga said:

The United Nations site lists only 6 languages...

6....hummm...just 1 short of perfection

How is it going to bring peace and security if it's in only 6 languages?....

 

The Church of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) site is available in 30 languages...

Adds to the evidence for whom Jehovah truly gives His support and blessings to.

[➕👇 ꓤꓱꓷꓠꓵ🎵Tone]

Modern day Miracle you might say.

Just Older