**Language Preservation: The Endangered Languages of Our Time** Today, February 21, marks World Mother Language Day, a day to celebrate and acknowledge the importance of languages in our diverse world. Did you know that over 7,000 languages are spoken globally, but a staggering 40% of them are at risk of disappearing forever? In this article, we'll delve into the world of languages, highlighting the most spoken tongues, and those that are endangered. **The Dominant Languages** English takes the top spot as the most widely spoken language, with approximately 1.5 billion speakers across 186 countries. Interestingly, only 20% of English speakers are native, while the remaining 80% use it as a second, third, or higher language. Mandarin Chinese follows closely, with almost 1.2 billion speakers, making it the largest language when considering native speakers. Other notable languages include Hindi, Spanish, and Standard Arabic. **Scripts and Writing Systems** The world boasts over 293 known scripts, with more than 156 still in use today. The Latin script, used to write English, French, Spanish, and many other languages, is the most widely used, covering at least 305 of the world's 7,139 known living human languages. This is a testament to the global influence of European languages. **The Endangered Languages** Unfortunately, many languages are at risk of disappearing. According to Ethnologue, 3,193 languages (44%) are endangered, while 3,479 are stable, and 487 are institutional, used by governments, schools, and media. This raises concerns about language preservation and cultural identity. A language becomes endangered when its users start passing on a more dominant language to their children. Many endangered languages are used as second languages. **Nigerian Perspective** In Nigeria, we have a rich linguistic diversity, with over 500 languages spoken across the country. While some languages, like Hausa and Yoruba, have a large number of speakers, others are vulnerable to extinction. Language preservation is crucial in Nigeria, where many languages are tied to cultural heritage and identity. **Global Hotspots** Just 25 countries are home to 80% of the world's endangered languages. Oceania, Asia, Africa, and the Americas are hotspots for endangered languages. For instance, in Australia, the Yugambeh language, spoken by the Yugambeh people, is under threat. A community-led revitalization