How many languages are there

Answers:
The actual number of languages spoken in the world is difficult to calculate. One of the problems is that of the definition of what constitutes a language. This leads to the following range in answers:
  • According to the National Virtual Translation Center, there are about 6,900 languages in the world. For more information, see external Related Link below.
  • The Ethnologue organization's current catalog includes 6,809 distinct languages. See related links below for more information.
  • The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Language says that estimates of total living languages in the world vary from 3,000 to 10,000.
  • Voegelins' Classification and Index of the World's Languages (1977) lists 20,000 languages and dialects, grouped into about 4,500 living languages.
  • No exact figure exists, and we are losing languages every year, as only living speakers die. But a good estimate is about 6,800 languages, according to the Linguistic Society of America.



For more, see the related links below.
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Relevant answers:
  • How many language?
    6,912
  • How many and which languages are incorporated into the English language?
    An interesting question though I think there would be too many to count. Every colony they had, had influence their language. Then there are the countries in Europe and they have all had words from...
  • How many other languages are in the English language?
    There are no other languages, nor dialects as such, only varieties.
  • How many languages are spoken in Yugoslavia?
    There no longer is a Yugoslavia. What was once Yugoslavia is now: Bosnia and Herzegovinia, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, and Slovenia.
  • How many languages where spoken by the aboriginese?
    Between 400 and 700 languages.

    • Can you answer these questions?