Many of today’s languages are endangered. Maintaining all the languages in the world is important not only for several areas of research but also for the future of the planet too: Much of the most sophisticated knowledge about how to live sustainably, in balance with the ecosystem, is encoded in them. Linguistic human rights, especially in education, are one necessary prerequisite for the maintenance of linguistic diversity (LD). This entry defines linguistic diversity, discussing how it has been measured and how it is related to biodiversity. It examines issues related to educational policies that may enhance Indigenous and minority/minoritized languages and cultures.

Linguistic diversity has been defined as “the range of variation exhibited by human languages,” or as “the variety and richness of languages in human ...