The language extinction story, can we save it?

When I started exploring the social behaviors around learning and understanding the Arabic Language, I was in living in the West. My research was focused on non native speakers of the Arabic Language. Questions on their ability, motivation and mental model gripped by first few years of study. After having moved to the hub of nativity, the middle east I was shocked to find how rapidly this language was heading towards extinction even among native speakers. Nation wide campaigns were being held to save the language, incentives being offered on reading, a boost in edutainment apps and the likes of it. Unfortunately, all of this was being directed only towards one segment of the population. The native speakers.

One would think, what is wrong in that. Well on the surface level it might seem the right thing to do. Yet, at a systemic level the purpose of these campaigns begin to lose its charm. Mainly because the language of the non native population begins countering these efforts. When you are educating one hand and letting the other hand work around however it wants, pretty soon they come in the way of another.

While the events and activities to promote Arabic are well crafted and intuitive, they are being directed towards very particular sectors, not enough to bring about nation wide awareness and love in the long term. The importance of inclusiveness is often underrated. Its influence largely misunderstood.

How then do we save a language from not being spoken, used or understood.

Include all those who seek, irrespective of nativity.