* Defining a "language" is tricky: There's no universally agreed-upon definition of what constitutes a separate language versus a dialect. Is a language just a language that's mutually unintelligible with other languages, or are there other factors like historical development, social recognition, or political status?
* Dialects blur the lines: Many languages have numerous dialects, some of which are so different they might be considered separate languages by some linguists.
* New languages emerge and some die out: Language change is constant. Languages evolve, split into dialects, and new languages are born. Some languages also unfortunately disappear.
Estimates vary widely:
* Some linguists estimate between 6,000 and 7,000 languages in the world.
* The Ethnologue, a comprehensive resource, lists over 7,000 languages but acknowledges that this number is likely an underestimate.
The key takeaway: While there's no definitive answer, it's safe to say there are thousands of modern languages spoken around the globe.