Final answer:
Linguists, anthropologists, and language preservationists are primarily responsible for describing spoken languages and preserving them as written languages. They work to document, revitalize, and modernize languages, with a particular focus on those that are endangered or dormant. Language preservation is essential for maintaining cultural diversity and identity.
Step-by-step explanation:
Spoken languages are described and preserved as written languages by linguists, anthropologists, and language preservationists. These professionals study the linguistic structures, cultural significances, and practical uses of languages. They engage in efforts to document, revitalize, and oftentimes modernize languages, particularly those that are endangered or have fallen out of use. Language preservation is crucial for maintaining cultural identity, history, and diversity, as languages encode unique experiences and wisdom of the people who speak them.
Throughout history, shifts in power, technology, and social structures have influenced the prevalences of certain languages. For example, the Bible and educated communication long remained in Latin after it ceased being a common spoken language. Similarly, modern advancements such as printing presses have helped standardize languages by spreading literature and media, although sometimes to the detriment of regional dialects. Moreover, the phenomenon of language loss due to globalization and the dominance of certain world languages threatens the existence of many indigenous and minority languages today.
Language revitalization efforts are critical for the survival of many languages. Such efforts usually involve community-led programs to teach younger generations, creating resources, and establishing domains where these languages are spoken and applied in daily life. The emergence of writing systems has also been an essential part of preserving languages, allowing communication of complex ideas and recorded history across generations and geographies.