* Definition of "spoken": What does it mean for a language to be "spoken"? Does it need to be the primary language of a community? Or can it be used in limited contexts, like rituals or family gatherings?
* Language change: Languages evolve over time. Some languages become extinct, but others may morph into new forms, making it difficult to say with certainty that the original language is completely gone.
* Revival efforts: There are many efforts to revive extinct or endangered languages, so even if a language is not spoken by a large number of people, it may still be possible to find individuals who can speak it.
However, there are many languages that are considered extinct or critically endangered. This means they have very few speakers, often only a few elderly individuals, and there is a high risk that they will disappear completely.
Here are some examples of languages that are considered extinct:
* Etruscan: This language was spoken in ancient Italy but died out in the first centuries AD.
* Akkadian: This ancient Semitic language was spoken in Mesopotamia but became extinct around the 1st millennium BC.
* Cuneiform: This writing system, used for various ancient languages including Sumerian and Akkadian, is no longer in use.
While these languages are no longer spoken, we can still learn about them through written records and archaeological evidence.
If you're interested in learning more about language endangerment and revival efforts, you can check out resources from organizations like:
* UNESCO: [https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/endangered-languages](https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/endangered-languages)
* Endangered Languages Project: [https://www.endangeredlanguages.com/](https://www.endangeredlanguages.com/)
* The Living Tongues Institute for Endangered Languages: [https://www.livingtongues.org/](https://www.livingtongues.org/)