What came to my mind when I first thought about the instance of lost languages was how we can trace languages and make connections based on the root of spoken/written words.
English is no romance language, neither are many harsher languages from Eastern lands. Many words from the various English vernaculars and regional dialects can be linked to other languages that are commonly spoken in English-speaking countries.
One language that I know has a relatively unknown origin is Euskara - which is spoken in the Basque region of Northern Spain. Euskara has served not only as a language but as a cultural tie between the Basque people. It is also a tool that the Basque region has used to gain leverage to aid their nationalist fight to secede from Spain's rule.
Euskara has no known origin in any language that is spoken today. Many have speculated and made loose connections between Euskara and other languages but none of them have turned up much.
I wonder what would have happened if the language that Euskara came from had never disappeared.
Is the loss of a language truly a loss? or could it be considered evolution of a language?
In this case, I would consider it a loss. We are simply left with nothing to connect the language to, leaving its speakers with little to identify their spoken word with.
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