A READ A DAY
Making Europe’s linguistic diversity visible—one accessible read at a time
A READ A DAY - #4
What does it take to bring a dying language back to life? In Lesotho, the answer is courage, community, and persistence.
In the remote valleys of Lesotho, a little-known language called siPhuthi was once on the brink of vanishing — spoken by only about 1,000 people and overshadowed by larger tongues like Sesotho and Xhosa. But today that story is changing in powerful ways.
This is where change began:
Communities took the lead — local speakers worked with linguists for years, recording over 40+ hours of conversations, songs, stories, and traditions to preserve siPhuthi.
A writing system is finally taking shape — with workshops to create a standardized orthography and plans for a dictionary.
Sacred texts are being translated — including large portions of the Bible, strengthening both spiritual identity and linguistic pride.
Official recognition has arrived — siPhuthi was recently made an official language of Lesotho, a major symbolic and political win after decades of campaigning.
As half the world’s languages face extinction by the end of the century, stories like this show that revival is possible — when people are empowered, supported, and heard.
Discover the full story: ‘I thought it was going to perish’: the remarkable revival of an endangered language in Lesotho
