There are numerous Australian Aboriginal languages and dialects, many of which are endangered. An endangered language is one that it is at risk of falling out of use, generally because it has few surviving speakers. If it loses all of its native speakers, it becomes an extinct language.
UNESCO defines four levels of language endangerment between "safe" (not endangered) and "extinct":
- Vulnerable
- Definitely endangered
- Severely endangered
- Critically endangered
List
References
External links
Some of these sources conflict to some degree with one another.
- Aboriginal Australia map, a guide to Aboriginal language, tribal and nation groups published by AIATSIS
- AUSTLANG Australian Indigenous Languages Database at AIATSIS
- Australian language family trees
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Languages Editor: David Nathan
- South Australian Museum
