Language vitality is the health and strength of a language. In order to measure language vitality, NILS3 drew on the UNESCO measures of language vitality and endangerment (UNESCO Ad Hoc Expert Group on Endangered Languages 2003). NILS3 also drew on the learnings from previous NILS.
NILS3 used the following measures:
- Whether children are still learning the language.
- How many speakers there are.
- How many speakers there are per age group.
- What situations (or domains) the language is used in.
- Whether the language is used in new situations (e.g., the internet, TV shows).
- Whether there are materials for language education and literacy.
- How much documentation of the language there is (e.g., grammars, dictionaries).
- Whether there are teaching and learning programs in the language.
In assessing language vitality, NILS3 weighted the first measure most heavily. This factor is widely considered the most important language vitality factor (Fishman 1991, UNESCO Culture Sector 2011, UNESCO Culture Sector 2011, Lee & Van Way 2016).