Irish Gaelic, Rapa Nui And More Endangered Languages From Around The World

by Libby Zay on

There are nearly 7,000 languages spoken throughout the world today, the majority of which are predicted to become extinct by the end of this century. Half the world’s population speaks the top 20 world languages – with Mandarin, Spanish and English leading the charge, in that order – and most linguists point to globalization as the main cause for the rapid pace languages are falling off the map.

The problem is, when a language dies so does much of the knowledge and traditions that were passed won using it. So when Mental Floss used data from the Alliance for Linguistic Diversity to post a list of several at-risk languages, we here at Gadling were saddened by the disappearing native tongues and decided to use data from the Alliance for Linguistic Diversity to highlight some in our own list.

Irish Gaelic: Despite the fact that the government requires Irish students to learn this language and it currently has an estimated 40,000 native speakers, it is still classified as vulnerable.

Rapa Nui: The mother tongue of Chile’s famous Easter Island has fewer than 4,000 native speakers, and is quickly being taken over by Spanish.

Seneca: Only approximately 100 people in three Native American reservation communities in the United States speak this language, with the youngest speaker in his 50s.Yaw: Most young people living in the Gangaw District of Burma understand but do not speak this critically endangered language that has less than 10,000 native speakers.

Kariyarra: Although there are many people who have a passive understanding of this aboriginal language, only two fluent Kariyarra speakers are left in Western Australia.

Francoprovençal: There are only about 130,000 native speakers of this language, mostly in secluded towns in east-central France, western Switzerland and the Italian Aosta Valley.

Yagan: This indigenous language of Chile purportedly has only one remaining native speaker. Others are familiar with the language, but it will likely disappear soon.

Patuá: Derived from Malay, Sinhalese, Cantonese and Portuguese, less than 50 people in Macau, China and their diaspora speak this language. It is now the object of folkloric interest amongst those who still speak it.

Tourist Killed In Flightseeing Accident In Alaska

by Libby Zay on

One tourist is dead and two others seriously injured after a plane operated by flightseeing company Pacific Wings crashed into a mountain lake in southeast Alaska on Tuesday, USA Today reports.

According to the news outlet, six cruisers visiting Alaska on Lindblad Expeditions’ National Geographic Sea Bird were off on a shore excursion when the tiny, single-engine floatplane similar to the one pictured above went down in a remote area near the town of Petersburg. Alaska state troopers identified the dead passenger as 66-year-old Thomas Rising, whose wife had remained on board the ship while he took the flight alone. The other five tourists, all of whom survived along with the pilot, were members of the same family. One passenger suffered a broken back and another a broken leg, with the others reporting minor injuries.

Alaska Daily News writes there are no early indications as to what caused the crash, but a spokesperson from Lindblad tells the news outlet the company “clearly [has] concerns after an accident like this.” Currently, Pacific Wings is the only airline offering this type of service for Lindblad out of Petersburg.

National Park Service Adds Fish Tacos, Lentil Soup And More To Menus This Summer

by Libby Zay on

Starting this summer, the National Park Service (NPS) won’t just serve up greasy cheeseburgers with a side of fries. A new initiative is bringing healthy, sustainable options to snack bars and restaurants inside parks across the country.

Camp staples like hot dogs and summer favorites like ice cream will remain on many menus, but additions like fish tacos, lentil soup, black bean sliders, yogurt parfaits and organic bakery items will give visitors healthier choices. In addition to offering a wider range of options, the NPS is also encouraging concessioners to work with local farms whenever possible.

“There is no reason that you should have to take a vacation from eating well when you visit a national park,” said National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis, who spearheaded the move to raise the bar on food standards and sustainable food guidelines, in a press release.

It makes sense that the NPS is responding to growing consumer demand for healthy food, especially in parks where people are hiking, biking and otherwise being active. Kids might not be happy about substituting their french fries for vegetables and fruit (which according to USA Today they can do at the Grand Canyon South Rim), but the new menus will make trips to parks a healthier, happier experience for everyone.

[via USA Today]

Artist Crams Entire Amusement Park Into Cube

by Libby Zay on
The Glue Society, Facebook
Amusement parks are typically sprawling, open-air places filled with the adrenaline rush of rides, the smell of fair food and the promise of laughter. But what happens when you take out all the fun and games and reduce a park down to just its physical elements? That’s what artist James Dive from the Glue Society did when he compressed an entire amusement park into a 13-by-13-foot cube full of dodgems, prizes, tents, tickets and more.

“The project is about the finality of a missed moment,” Dive told Creative Review, also mentioning that getting all the pieces to fit into one giant box “was undoubtedly one of the most violent process [sic] I’ve ever embarked upon.”

The sculpture, titled “Once,” is currently on display in Aarhus, Denmark, at Sculpture by the Sea, an annual outdoor sculpture exhibition along the city’s coastline that is free and open to the public. If you happen to be passing through, the show (and this piece of amusing art) will be up through the end of the month.

Check out some more pictures of the piece after the jump.

[via Gizmodo]

Bumpier Rides Ahead: Singapore Airlines Flight Hits Terrifying Turbulence

by Libby Zay on

Earlier this year we heard that climate change may be creating more turbulent flights as weather patterns shift. We may be seeing the results of that shift already.

Flight crew members and passengers on board a Singapore Airlines flight from Singapore to London saw only clear, blue skies when suddenly the plane plunged 65 feet, causing cups of coffee to splatter on the roof and leaving a chaotic mess of food, pillows, cutlery and more in the aisle.

Passenger Alan Cross told the Mirror the turbulence felt “like being in an elevator with a cut cable or free-falling from some amusement park ride,” and another passenger told the news outlet everything that was not tied down – including people – hit the ceiling.

According to many reports, the plane was shook up by clean-air turbulence, a phenomenon caused when bodies of air moving at widely different speeds meet. Scientists have warned global warming could cause passengers to face more turbulent times ahead. Earlier this year in a report published by The Guardian, scientists projected that the frequency of turbulence on flights between Europe and North America will double by 2050 and increase intensity by 10-40 percent.

In the case of the Singapore Airlines flight, 11 passengers and one crew member suffered minor injuries. To prevent further injuries, staff placed blankets over the shattered glass and general mess in the aisles until it was completely cleaned up. Although incidents like this seem extraordinary, they do occur with some regularities, so always remember to keep your seatbelts fastened – even if the light is off.

[via Jaunted]