Linguists have travelled to a remote desert community in Western Australia's far north in the hope of unlocking the secrets to the evolution of language.

Key points: Nearly half of the world's 6,700 languages are at risk of being lost forever

Nearly half of the world's 6,700 languages are at risk of being lost forever A research project by the University of Queensland is mapping the Kukatja language

A research project by the University of Queensland is mapping the Kukatja language Researchers have visited Balgo in WA's far north to explore the language

Amid widespread concern about the disappearance of Indigenous languages, the former Catholic mission of Balgo is located in a linguistic melting pot that is thriving after tens of thousands of years.

Now, scientists want to map the local "lingua franca" called Kukatja, which is spoken more fluently than English by residents of all ages and across at least seven tribal groups.

Ancient connection

Within a small study, 14-year-old Anton Whisputt chats to his grandmother Dulcie Nanala about his day at school.

This timeless exchange feels particularly ancient given the language they are speaking is many thousands of years old.

Linguist Dr Berscia has been working with Balgo residents like Dulcie Nanala (right) on the research. ( ABC Kimberley: Matt Bamford )

With nearly half of the world's 6,700 languages at risk of disappearing, this casual chat also has global consequences.

Luis Miguel Rojas Berscia is recording the conversation for a research study by the University of Queensland, mapping the Kukatja language.

Dr Berscia has come to the township on the edge of the Great Sandy Desert after conducting similar studies with Amazonian tribes in Peru.

He believes Balgo could help explain how languages spread around the world.

"You have [many different] ethnic groups and they all communicate using Kukatja as a lingua franca, as a contact language, and that is very unique," Dr Berscia said.

"Nowadays it is very difficult to find these original multilingual societies.

"You find some of them in the Amazon, in western Africa, and you find some of them also here in Australia so these can tell us a lot about the formation of languages."

The remote township sits on the edge of the Great Sandy Desert near the Northern Territory border. ( ABC Kimberley: Matt Bamford )

Mission history

Dr Berscia believes the common thread linking communities in these far-flung places is their history as religious missions.

The Catholic mission at Balgo was established in 1939 and resulted in tribal groups from across the region living in close proximity for the first time.

Dr Berscia believes many former missions, like the one at Balgo, helped create the conditions for language diversification. ( ABC Kimberley: Matt Bamford )

"Missions congregate people coming from many different places with many different linguistic backgrounds and at some point they have to decide on a common language," he said.

"That is very interesting and very unique [and] something that Balgo has in common with Peruvian north-western Amazonia."

He said the persistent isolation of these communities may have also helped preserve the unique cultural dynamic of these societies.

But Dr Berscia said that could soon change with English becoming increasingly popular among emerging generations.

"Nowadays many young people are switching to English; [they] use tonnes of English and creole elements in their daily speech," he said.

Working alongside Balgo residents, Dr Berscia is conducting a socio-linguistic survey and hopes to develop a Kukatja teacher's guide and dictionary.

High cost of losing language

The disappearance of language has long been linked to the loss of culture and wide ranging negative consequences for Indigenous people.

The United Nations deemed 2019 the International Year of Indigenous Languages in a bid to draw more attention to preservation efforts.

Researchers hope to develop a Kukatja language guide and dictionary as part of their project. ( ABC Kimberley: Matt Bamford )

Balgo woman Melissa Sunfly is determined to pass on Kukatja to future generations and has been assisting Dr Berscia with his research.

She has seen the impact on those who lose their connection to language.

"I see young people in towns or cities and they can't talk their language [and] it makes me sad inside to see they've lost their culture," she said.

"It's a big problem. Sometimes people, you know, they drink alcohol and smoke ganja.

"I'm happy to do the recording and put it on the books so people can read it."