// the last fluent speaker

Every language here died with one person.

Documented case files of languages that fell silent — and the last human who spoke each one fluently. Every entry traces the whole arc: what the language was, what silenced it, the death of its last speaker, and what was recorded before the end.

15 languages Updated Jun 1, 2026

LW-001 · 2008

Na-Dené · Alaska

Eyak

na-dene assimilation 2000s

Marie Smith Jones, 2008 · Extinct (revival efforts)

LW-002 · 1992

NW Caucasian · Turkey

Ubykh

northwest-caucasian migration 1900s

Tevfik Esenç, d. 1992 · Extinct

LW-003 · 2010

Great Andamanese · India

Aka-Bo

great-andamanese colonization 2000s

Boa Sr, d. 2010 · Extinct

LW-004 · 1898

Romance · Croatia

Dalmatian

romance language-shift pre-1900

Tuone Udaina, d. 1898 · Extinct

LW-005 · 1777

Celtic · England

Cornish

celtic language-shift pre-1900

Last speaker · Revived

LW-006 · 1974

Celtic · Isle of Man

Manx

celtic language-shift 1900s

Last speaker · Revived

LW-007 · 1916

Yana · California

Yahi (Ishi)

yana genocide 1900s

Last speaker · Extinct

LW-008 · 1905

Tasmania · Australia

Tasmanian (palawa)

tasmanian genocide 1900s

Last speaker · Extinct (revival under way)

LW-009 · 2013

Uralic · Latvia

Livonian

uralic language-shift 2000s

Last speaker · Dormant

LW-010 · 2022

Isolate · Chile

Yaghan (Yámana)

language-isolate colonization 2000s

Last speaker · Extinct

LW-011 · 1855

Algonquian · Massachusetts

Wampanoag (Wôpanâak)

algonquian colonization pre-1900

Last speaker · Revived

LW-012 · 2003

Uralic · Russia

Akkala Sámi

uralic assimilation 2000s

Last fluent speaker · Extinct

LW-013 · 2021

Tuu · South Africa

Nǁng (Nǀuu)

tuu assimilation 2000s

Few elderly speakers · Dormant

LW-014 · 1972

Pama-Nyungan · Australia

Mbabaram

pama-nyungan assimilation 1900s

Last speaker · Extinct

LW-015 · 2012

Scots · Scotland

Cromarty Fisher Scots

germanic language-shift 2000s

Last speaker · Extinct