The features of a healthy language were identified in Paragraphs 1.5-1.6. In these situations children do not fully learn and use their parents language and use another language to fill in the gaps in their language knowledge or use another language altogether. It ceases to be the main vehicle of communication. With the further weakening of a language it has limited social function, it tends to be spoken only by older people and the opportunities for its use diminish.
Younger people cease to speak the language apart from a few words and phrases.
At this stage the language is in steep decline. Its continued loss in value and utility within the community speeds its demise. In the final stages of loss only a handful of elderly speakers remain and, unless a large scale language reversal were to occur, the language as a spoken living language will die with these people. Some linguists regard such large scale reversals as highly unlikely. A dead, or extinct, language is one with no living speakers remaining.