Mexico Writer Fights to Save Half the World's Languages

Yásnaya Elena Aguilar Gil is making people laugh while learning about one of humanity's most urgent challenges: half of the world's 6,000 languages could disappear within a century.

Her book "This Mouth is Mine" does something remarkable. It transforms a potentially grim topic into an energizing read filled with humor, personal stories, and hope for change.

Gil, a leading defender of linguistic rights from Mexico, writes with warmth about her own Indigenous language and the systematic discrimination speakers face. She develops educational materials in Indigenous languages and documents tongues at risk of vanishing forever.

The statistics are startling. Every three months, a language dies somewhere in the world. In Mexico alone, Indigenous language speakers dropped from 65% of the population in 1820 to just 6.5% today.

But Gil doesn't dwell on doom. Instead, she invites readers to see Indigenous languages as vibrant, modern tools perfectly suited for rock lyrics, social media posts, or explaining quantum physics.

Her analysis cuts to the heart of why languages die. When nations formed 300 years ago, governments elevated single languages while suppressing others. This wasn't inevitable—it was a choice, which means different choices can change the future.

The Ripple Effect

Gil's work extends far beyond writing. She creates learning materials that give Indigenous communities tools to pass languages to younger generations.

Her documentary series with actor Gael García Bernal brings environmental and cultural issues to wider audiences. She'll keynote the 2026 San Miguel Writers' Conference in February, spreading her message of linguistic diversity as strength rather than obstacle.

The Times Literary Supplement praised her essays for showing that "linguistic discrimination tends to intersect with racism" and that Indigenous languages deserve the same respect as dominant tongues.

When languages survive, entire worldviews, knowledge systems, and cultural treasures survive with them. Gil argues that homogenization benefits no one—diversity of language creates a richer world for all of us.

Her passion is contagious. Readers finish the book not just informed but energized to advocate for multilingual futures where difference is celebrated.

Every language that survives is a victory for human creativity and connection.