Regional and
international rules

International Recognition
of Venetian language

UNESCO RED BOOK ON ENDANGERED LANGUAGES (1993-1999)

The "Red Book of Endangered Languages" (literally Red Book of languages at risk) is a volume published by UNESCO collecting a list that includes the world languages more at risk of extinction.
On Professor Stephen Wurm’s own iniziative, Tapani Salminem compiled the “European Section” of the volume also including Venetian language as language “not at risk of extinction”, but however recognized and preserved.

Origin and structure of the report

Languages were initially divided in 5 groups, later on a sixth group was added. The categories are divided in:

1) Extinct languages, different from ancient languages
Kemi Sámi, Southern Mansi, Polabian, Slovincian, (Old) Prussian, Norn, Gothic, Manx Gaelic, Cornish, Mozarabic, Shuadit (Judeo-Provençal), Zarphatic (Judeo-French), Dalmatian

2) Almost extinct , spoken by some dozens of people at most
Ume Sámi, Pite Sámi, Akkala Sámi, Ter Sámi, Livonian, Votian, Italkian (Judeo-Italian), Yevanic (Judeo-Greek), Krimchak (Judeo-Crimean Tatar)

3) Languages at serious risk of extinction, spoken by many people, among which children are not listed
South Sámi, Lule Sámi, Inari Sámi, Skolt Sámi, Kildin Sámi, Ingrian, Ludian, Vepsian, Western Mari, Kashubian (proper), Molise Croatian, Eastern Frisian, Northern Frisian, Yiddish (Judeo-German), Breton, Leonese, Ladino (Judeo-Spanish), Languedocien, Auvergnat, Limousin, Channel Island French, Istriot, Istro-Romanian, Meglenitic, Arvanitika Albanian, Tsakonian, Italiot Greek, Pontic Greek, Karaim, Crimean Tatar, Cypriot Arabic

4) Languages at risk of extinction, also spoken by children but in a more and more decreasing number
North Sámi, Karelian (proper), Olonetsian, Erzya, Moksha, Eastern Mari, Udmurt, Permyak, Komi (proper), Tundra Nenets, Lower Sorbian, Upper Sorbian, Burgenland Croatian, Rusyn, Western Frisian, Cimbrian, Irish Gaelic, Scottish Gaelic, Welsh, Asturian, Aragonese, Algherese Catalan, Provençal, Gascon, Walloon, Romansch, Ladin, Friulian, Gallurese Sardinian, Logudorese Sardinian, Campidanese Sardinian, Sassarese Sardinian, Aromunian, Arbëreshë Albanian, Romani, Chuvash, Bashkir, Nogai, Trukhmen, Gagauz, Kalmyk, Basque

5) Languages potentially at risk of extinction,also spoken by children but without official recognition
Belorussian, (Lowland) Scots, Low Saxon (Low German proper), Galician, Francoprovençal, Piedmontese, Ligurian, Lombard, Emilian, Corsican

6) Languages not at risk of extinction, using the same ways of transmission to new generations
Estonian, Finnish, Hungarian, Polish, Czech, Slovak, Slovene, Serbo-Croatian, Macedonian, Bulgarian, Ukrainian, Russian, Lithuanian, Latvian, English (proper), Dutch, Luxembourgian (Moselle Franconian), High German (proper), Alemannic (incl. Swiss German), Bavarian (incl. Austrian German), Icelandic, Faroese, Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, Portuguese, (Castilian) Spanish, Catalan, French, Venetian, (Tuscan & Central) Italian, South Italian (incl. Neapolitan), Sicilian, (Daco-)Romanian, Gheg Albanian, Tosk Albanian, Greek, Tatar, (Osman) Turkish, Maltese.

The report includes up to 141 recognized and preserved languages.

To consult the whole text click on the following link:
» http://www.helsinki.fi/~tasalmin/europe_index.html

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