It is predicted that within a century more than half of the world's languages will become extinct, but as languages are lost, new ones emerge naturally or are constructed. This program provides insights into the language life cycle through topics ranging from constructed languages such as Esperanto, to language endangerment and preservation, to the role of globalization in language obsolescence.

In various languages with English voiceover translation ; optional audio description, and expanded audio description (with English SDH subtitles) ; Title on disc and container: Speaking in tongues: the history of language. Episode five. Birth and death.

1 DVD ; Symphony of sounds Constructed languages Endangered languages The future of languages.