When we think of the internet today, we imagine a network that connect people, ideas, knowledge across the globe. In the 16th century, however, a different but equally informative network emerged in Europe: the printing press. For the first time in European history, texts could be reproduced quickly and distributed widely, connecting scholars, merchants and religious communities across borders.
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Understanding Language Vitality: The EGIDS Framework and Real-World Examples
Many languages face the risk of endangerment or extinction, which makes preserving the world’s linguistic diversity a pressing challenge. The Expanded Graded Intergenerational Disruption Scale (EGIDS) builds on Fishman’s (1991) original GIDS model and consists of a 13-level scale that assesses the vitality and endangerment of languages based on their transmission across generations, institutional support, and societal use.
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