* Lack of Records: Before colonization, many cultures relied on oral traditions and didn't have written languages. This makes it difficult to track the exact number of languages spoken.
* Varying Definitions of "Language": What constitutes a separate language versus a dialect can be subjective. Some communities might have distinct languages, while others have dialects that are mutually intelligible.
* Ongoing Change: Languages evolve over time, so the number of languages spoken in the past is constantly shifting.
However, we can make some estimations:
* Linguistic Diversity: The world has a remarkable amount of linguistic diversity. Estimates suggest there were thousands of languages spoken before colonization.
* Extinction: Colonization has led to the loss of many languages, with some estimates suggesting that thousands of languages have disappeared.
To summarize: While we can't pinpoint an exact number, we know that there were thousands of languages spoken before colonization, and many have been lost due to various factors, including colonization.