--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The world's five thousand extant…" description: "\"The world's five thousand extant languages are products of our shared ability, but the five thousand cultures they create are separate from each other...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bf/richard-leakey-14374_ability_the-world-s-five-thousand-extant-languag_914326.png" --- # The world's five thousand extant languages are products of… ![“The world's five thousand extant languages are products of our shared ability, but the five thousand cultures they create are separate from each other.” quote by Richard Leakey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bf/richard-leakey-14374_ability_the-world-s-five-thousand-extant-languag_914326.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bf/richard-leakey-14374_ability_the-world-s-five-thousand-extant-languag_914326.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bf/richard-leakey-14374_ability_the-world-s-five-thousand-extant-languag_914326.png) > “The world's five thousand extant languages are products of our shared ability, but the five thousand cultures they create are separate from each other.” [Richard Leakey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-leakey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Languages are shared tools; cultures remain distinct, highlighting human diversity. **In simple terms:** Languages unite, cultures differ. Key Takeaway Celebrate both linguistic unity and cultural diversity. Themes language culture diversity Mood inquisitive educational Type academic inspirational When to use this quote - travel - education - multilingual workplaces Key Concepts Anthropology linguistics globalization Questions to Reflect On - How do languages shape cultural identity? - What bridges cultural gaps? A Different Perspective Assuming languages always foster unity can be false. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Cultures Create](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cultures-create-342691/) [Extant Languages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/extant-languages-1364230/) [Five](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/five/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Mankind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mankind/) [Products](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/products/) [Separate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/separate/) [Shared Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shared-ability-1364231/) [Thousand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thousand/) [Thousand Cultures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thousand-cultures-1364229/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“A photograph captures a bygone moment in time which is impossible to be reproduced and which can create history. It can transfer emotions through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/biju-karakkonam-nature-and-wild-life-photographer/a-photograph-captures-a-bygone-moment-in-time-which-is-impossible-to/) [Biju Karakkonam Nature and Wild life Photographer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/biju-karakkonam-nature-and-wild-life-photographer/) > [Unhealthy cultures create addiction. Healthy cultures create social bonds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/unhealthy-cultures-create-addiction-healthy-cultures-create-social/) [Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/) > [You should not separate your life from what you do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanne-moreau/you-should-not-separate-your-life-from-what-you-do/) [Jeanne Moreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanne-moreau/) > [“Staying separate from those we love hurts.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-aman/staying-separate-from-those-we-love-hurts/) [Jodi Aman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-aman/) > [“My literature must remain that which it is. Especially that something which does not fit into politics and does not want to serve it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/witold-gombrowicz/my-literature-must-remain-that-which-it-is-especially-that-something/) [Witold Gombrowicz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/witold-gombrowicz/) > [Let's assume for the moment that the logic behind Presidents Day is actually sound for certain presidents. Why not have a separate holiday for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-shapiro/let-s-assume-for-the-moment-that-the-logic-behind-presidents-day-is/) [Ben Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-shapiro/) > [Everybody always going to sound like somebody. You got to separate yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-durk/everybody-always-going-to-sound-like-somebody-you-got-to-separate/) [Lil Durk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-durk/) > [I don't think you can ever get used to being this famous. I've learnt how to keep things separate or at a distance. I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-styles/i-don-t-think-you-can-ever-get-used-to-being-this-famous-i-ve-learnt/) [Harry Styles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-styles/) > [Don't think of us as separate beings. Imagine that we are one body and it's been split into millions. When we sit in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/don-t-think-of-us-as-separate-beings-imagine-that-we-are-one-body-and/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [I'm not a method actor. I try to stay separate but to imagine what they'd feel, to put myself in their shoes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tuppence-middleton/i-m-not-a-method-actor-i-try-to-stay-separate-but-to-imagine-what/) [Tuppence Middleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tuppence-middleton/) > [I always sleep on my own. I can't sleep with somebody else. Always separate bedrooms, bathrooms and closets. I'm very individual and I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-tonioli/i-always-sleep-on-my-own-i-can-t-sleep-with-somebody-else-always/) [Bruno Tonioli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-tonioli/) > [I think of a book and a play, or a book and a movie, as two separate things - I don't think of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-sachar/i-think-of-a-book-and-a-play-or-a-book-and-a-movie-as-two-separate/) [Louis Sachar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-sachar/) > [If I'm doing a voice-over session, like animation or something, and I'm doing three different voices, you've gotta separate them. You've gotta find the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-adlon/if-i-m-doing-a-voice-over-session-like-animation-or-something-and-i-m/) [Pamela Adlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-adlon/) > [Back in the really olden days, dinner was seldom a ceremonial event for U.S. families. Only the very wealthy had a separate dining room.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/back-in-the-really-olden-days-dinner-was-seldom-a-ceremonial-event/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [Do you think that God would separate me from my husband if I killed myself? I feel as though I am going out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-you-think-that-god-would-separate-me-from-my-husband-if-i-killed/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Richard Leakey > [I would hazard a guess that we have found fossilized human remains of at least a thousand different specimens in South and East Africa,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-leakey/i-would-hazard-a-guess-that-we-have-found-fossilized-human-remains-of/) [Richard Leakey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-leakey/) > [It has taken biologists some 230 years to identify and describe three quarters of a million insects; if there are indeed at least thirty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-leakey/it-has-taken-biologists-some-230-years-to-identify-and-describe-three/) [Richard Leakey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-leakey/) > [Sadly, I am not able to take part in the fieldwork myself so much anymore, as both of my legs were amputated following an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-leakey/sadly-i-am-not-able-to-take-part-in-the-fieldwork-myself-so-much/) [Richard Leakey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-leakey/) > [Elephants can live to an age of up to 70 or 80 years and they have a good memory. It could be they come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-leakey/elephants-can-live-to-an-age-of-up-to-70-or-80-years-and-they-have-a/) [Richard Leakey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-leakey/) > [Along the borders to Ethiopia and Somalia, anarchy reigns, the police and military have retreated quite some distance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-leakey/along-the-borders-to-ethiopia-and-somalia-anarchy-reigns-the-police/) [Richard Leakey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-leakey/) > [To me it's a question of being able to look backward and give the present a root... To give meaning to where we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-leakey/to-me-it-s-a-question-of-being-able-to-look-backward-and-give-the/) [Richard Leakey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-leakey/) > [I, too, am convinced that our ancestors came from Africa.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-leakey/i-too-am-convinced-that-our-ancestors-came-from-africa/) [Richard Leakey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-leakey/) > [I have been raised to believe in freedom of thought and speech. If a minority wishes to accept that position it's their right. What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-leakey/i-have-been-raised-to-believe-in-freedom-of-thought-and-speech-if-a/) [Richard Leakey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-leakey/) > [One should not forget that there are very few surviving items from this period, often just single, small bones, a tooth, a sliver of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-leakey/one-should-not-forget-that-there-are-very-few-surviving-items-from/) [Richard Leakey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-leakey/) > [For fossils to thrive, certain favorable circumstances are required. First of all, of course, remnants of life have to be there. These then need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-leakey/for-fossils-to-thrive-certain-favorable-circumstances-are-required/) [Richard Leakey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-leakey/) > [The language of art is powerful to those who understand it, and puzzling to those who do not. What we do know is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-leakey/the-language-of-art-is-powerful-to-those-who-understand-it-and/) [Richard Leakey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-leakey/) > [We are bipedal apes, and it should not be surprising to see that fact reflected in the way our ancestors lived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-leakey/we-are-bipedal-apes-and-it-should-not-be-surprising-to-see-that-fact/) [Richard Leakey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-leakey/) > [The land is not in the least bit fertile and yet the cattle herds grow larger and larger. A cow represents capital investment here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-leakey/the-land-is-not-in-the-least-bit-fertile-and-yet-the-cattle-herds/) [Richard Leakey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-leakey/) > [We hope to find more pieces of the puzzle which will shed light on the connection between this upright, walking ape, our early ancestor,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-leakey/we-hope-to-find-more-pieces-of-the-puzzle-which-will-shed-light-on/) [Richard Leakey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-leakey/) > [I can't think of any other region in the world which is such a vast source of fossils.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-leakey/i-can-t-think-of-any-other-region-in-the-world-which-is-such-a-vast/) [Richard Leakey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-leakey/) [Explore all 47 Richard Leakey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-leakey/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The world's five thousand extant languages are products of our shared ability, but the five thousand cultures they create are separate from each other.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Richard Leakey" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-leakey/the-world-s-five-thousand-extant-languages-are-products-of-our-shared/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ability" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-leakey/the-world-s-five-thousand-extant-languages-are-products-of-our-shared/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bf/richard-leakey-14374_ability_the-world-s-five-thousand-extant-languag_914326.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bf/richard-leakey-14374_ability_the-world-s-five-thousand-extant-languag_914326.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4bf/richard-leakey-14374_ability_the-world-s-five-thousand-extant-languag_914326.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The world's five thousand extant languages are products of our shared ability, but the five thousand…” — Richard Leakey", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Richard Leakey", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-leakey/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The world's five thousand extant languages...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-leakey/the-world-s-five-thousand-extant-languages-are-products-of-our-shared/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-leakey/the-world-s-five-thousand-extant-languages-are-products-of-our-shared/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```