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What Is Sylheti? An Endangered Language You've Never Heard Of
The Sylheti language is spoken by millions across Bangladesh, India, and diaspora communities worldwide
Spoken by millions but often mistaken for a dialect, Sylheti is one of South Asia’s most under-recognised languages. It holds centuries of culture, identity, and oral tradition — yet it's at risk of being lost.
Whether you're reconnecting with your roots or passionate about endangered languages, this is your guide to why Sylheti matters — and how you can help keep it alive.
Featured Article
What Is Sylheti? Endangered Language You've Never Heard Of
What is Sylheit? Learn more about this endangered language
Explore why Sylheti, spoken by millions, is still misunderstood, underrepresented, and at risk.
What You’ll Learn:
Origins & Identity
How Sylheti differs from Bengali
Where it’s spoken in Bangladesh, India, and the UK
Why It’s Endangered
Stigma, lack of recognition, and shifting to other languages
How the diaspora is losing touch across generations
How to Start Learning:
Pick up everyday Sylheti phrases and sounds
Use music, family stories, and community to stay connected
Find (or create!) resources to help others learn, too
Take Action:
Preserving Sylheti starts with speaking it, learning it, and sharing it.
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Use the language daily, even in small ways. Label household items in your target language, think in it while doing chores, or narrate your actions out loud. These mini moments build fluency faster than you’d expect.
Did You Know?
The Basque language, spoken in parts of northern Spain and southwestern France, is a linguistic mystery, it has no known relation to any other language in the world.
Despite being surrounded by Indo-European languages for centuries, Basque (or Euskara) has survived with a completely distinct vocabulary and grammar, making it one of the few true language isolates still spoken today.
