Our Resource of the Month choice for March

Each month, one of our Subject Librarians chooses an electronic resource which they feel will be of interest to you.

March’s Resource of the Month has been selected by Andy Kernot, Subject Consultant for Geography, Social Policy & Intervention, Public Policy, and Internet Studies.

An infographic of an open laptop. In front is a banner saying 'March Resource of the Month' and one below saying 'Ethnologue.'

Andy’s choice is Ethnologue. It was chosen because it’s the most comprehensive database of the world’s lesser used languages, including language maps, family trees, an overview of endangered languages and a bibliography. It is used across a broad range of academic disciplines.

An open laptop on a table with the word 'Ethnologue' on the screen. A cup of coffee sits to the right and a pad and pen to the left.

Resource Overview

Ethnologue gives you insight into each of the world’s nearly 7,500 known languages — whether used daily by over a billion people or existing only as a memory of cultural heritage. The documented number is in constant flux because languages are living and dynamic. They constantly evolve as the communities that use them are shaped and influenced by our rapidly changing world.

Over 40% of languages are endangered, but for those who speak or sign them, they are just as important as the world’s most widely used languages. The languages we speak or sign are at the very core of our human identity and are integral to our ability to flourish in life. In a constantly shifting global language landscape, Ethnologue provides the information you need for advocacy, development and research.

Where can you access the resource

Ethnologue can be accessed via SOLO.

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