SYDNEY (AFP) – Australia has pledged 7.8 million US dollars this year to help save more than 100 indigenous languages which are in grave danger of dying out.

Arts Minister Peter Garrett said the money would be spent on translation services, tests for children and a feasibility study for a national centre for Aboriginal languages.

"These languages are... a significant part of Australia's heritage and we must ensure they are protected for the benefit of future generations," Garrett said.

"A focused and coordinated national approach is critical to safeguard indigenous culture and save these unique languages."

Australia has 145 languages and dialects with 110 at risk, according to a 2005 report, as they are often spoken only by small groups of over-40s. About 30,000 people are currently studying indigenous languages around the country.

Native Australians, who pre-date European settlement by tens of thousands of years, account for about two percent of the population and typically live in small settlements scattered around the continent-sized nation.




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