Taiwan Trying to Promote and Save Indigenous Languages

Language loss is always sad. Globally - in both senses of the word - it makes for a less interesting world, especially because, as you mention, language is almost inextricably linked to culture and self-identity.

And I don't say this to be harsh, but unfortunately language loss is a fact of existence. Pidgins become creoles becomes languages, they change, they die. "Circle of life." And while certainly efforts can - and perhaps should - be made to prolong this inevitability as long as possible, it simply cannot be stopped. Indeed, languages die of "natural causes" if I may use this term to contrast the situation in the article.

While the loss of the language itself is, on one hand, a tragedy, the true tragedy is the reason for which it is being lost...

It makes me sad to think of people getting punished for speaking their natural mother tongue.

This - the explicit and hateful denial of a primary language - is the true tragedy. It is a form of oppression, and it hits at the heart of individuals. Certainly because, as briefly mentioned, languages do die "of natural causes," we can mourn a loss of a language, but we cannot prevent it. We can prevent oppressive governments who wish to control - in essence - identity.

Since I study Spanish I am always reminded of Spain under Franco when linguistic oppression is mentioned. I suppose the fact that, despite his treatment of the other Spanish languages, they survived him, and some in fact thrived because of him. In contrast to the situation in the seeded article, sometimes nothing induces pride and a resurgence of a language more than to tell people they can't speak it, as in Franco's Spain; the speakers of Catalan, e.g., - although underground until it became "legal" again - only spoke it, wrote in it, and sang in it more because of Franco. I always laugh at that fact.