Many of us "care" about languages – they have emotional significance – but what is the practical value of near-dead languages to society? How would you even mea

Many of us "care" about languages – they have emotional significance – but what is the practical value of near-dead languages to society? How would you even measure the impact of lengthening the lifespan of a dying language? If we taught hundreds of children to speak an ancient language that no one else uses, would that make anyone happier? Should we teach children extinct professions just to keep some cultures alive? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice_cutting http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice_cutting