Response last updated by CmdrK on Jul 17 2021.
May 07 2008, 2:11 PM
Baloo55th
Answer has 3 votes
Baloo55th 22 year member
4545 replies
Answer has 3 votes.
It's actually debatable as to when a language is dead. Some argue that when no speakers are left, it is dead. Others argue that when only one person is left who can speak it, then it is dead because who is he/she going to speak it to? Usually, the least spoken languages are the least studied ones. Why? Because they are in obscure or inaccessible places, or because they are overshadowed by very dominant official languages and thus hard to ennumerate. There are probably still-undiscovered or unrecorded languages in South America and Papua New Guinea. This is a very difficult question to answer.....
May 07 2008, 4:06 PM
author
Answer has 4 votes
author 23 year member
2834 replies
Answer has 4 votes.
I agree, you can't answer this.
That being said, this Wiki list is interesting.
It lists Ter Sami as the smallest spoken language today, with 10 speakers.
Some other contenders include Ratagnon (2-5 speakers), Pemono (one speaker, may be extinct by now), Mapoyo (2 speakers) and Siletz Dee-ni (one speaker). However, there are many languages with equal or comparable amounts of speakers. I suggest you look at the last link for more information.
The language with the smallest vocabulary in the world is a Creole called Taki-Taki (about 750 words) spoken in Suriname, South America. It is a curious mixture of West African, English, French, Spanish, Portuguese and Carib Indian elements with the English words predominanting. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sranan_Tongo
Response last updated by satguru on Aug 30 2016.
May 07 2008, 9:52 PM