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Classifying languages in this way necessarily must confront a wide variation in
what is found in different contexts. In order to make it easier to grasp the situation,
we can classify languages according to their characteristics in a scale that measures
vitality and endangerment.
A number of such scales have been proposed, with each one using a different number of
levels and intended to focus on a variety of different concepts and objectives. Not all of these
schemes have been designed specifically to act as a comprehensive, global assessment of
language vitality. However, one scale, the Expanded Graded Intergenerational Disruption
Scale (EGIDS) has been designed to fill that role allowing comparisons among all the
world’s languages (Lewis and Simons, 2010).
EGIDS or the Expanded Graded Intergenerational Disruption Scale has thirteen
levels. These can be grouped into six broader categories. These each have a color to help
distinguish them from one another. The categories are:

Institutionalized (EGIDS 0-4)—The language is healthy and strong. The language
Purple has been developed to the extent that it is spoken sustainably in households and
communities, and it is also used for formal functions in state institutions.
Developing (EGIDS 5)—The language is developing.
Blue The language has a stronghold in the society and is spoken widely. It also has standardized
language literatures although they have not been spread widely and sustainably.

Green Strong/Vigorous (EGIDS 6a)—The language is strong. The language has not yet been
institutionalized but is spoken widely by all generations.

Weak/In Trouble (EGIDS 6b-7)—The language is weak. The language is not being
Yellow transmitted smoothly across the generations, but the younger generations still can
speak the language. So, language revitalization can be carried out in order to encourage
its transmission in households.

Endangered (EGIDS 8a-9)—The language status is endangered. The language is only
Red spoken fluently among the older generation so that it is too late to revitalize the
transmission process among the generations in the home. A revitalization effort from
outside the household is needed for the language to survive.

Nonexistent/Extinct (EGIDS 10)—The language is nonexistent. No one speaks the
Black language any longer. The language has not been spoken by anyone to indicate their
identity.

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