Abdullah Waheed, a native speaker of Dhivehi – an "official" language yet one with not many speakers in Maldives – explains in one example why language preservation matters: 
Abdullah Waheed, mzungumzaji asilia wa Ki-Dhivehi - lugha "rasmi" ambayo haina wazungumzaji wengi visiwani Maldives - anafafanua katika mfano mmoja ni kwa nini uhifadhi wa lugha ni muhimu: