One third of the approximately 6500 languages that are still being spoken in the world today will become extinct over the course of the next decades. According to pessimistic estimates, up to 90% of the languages still spoken today will die out within this century. Languages and dialects are not only the means through which we communicate with others and seek ways of explaining the world in which we live, they are also expressions of human culture and the human mind itself. They are of value in and of themselves and should be preserved and documented as manifestations of the creativity and diversity of the human mind.
The Society for Endangered Languages (GBS) is a non-profit organization which deals with the use, preservation, and documentation of endangered languages and dialects. All natural and legal persons can become members of the GBS.