* What's a language vs. a dialect? The line between a language and a dialect is blurry. Some linguists define a dialect as a regional variation of a language, while others consider it a distinct language if it's mutually unintelligible with other variations.
* Constantly changing: Languages and dialects are constantly evolving, with new ones emerging and old ones disappearing.
* Undocumented languages: Many languages, especially spoken by small, isolated groups, are not documented or studied by linguists.
However, some estimates suggest that there are:
* Around 7,000 languages spoken worldwide. This is a widely cited number, but it's likely an underestimate.
* Potentially thousands more dialects if you consider regional variations within a language.
It's important to understand that the number of languages and dialects is a complex and fluid figure. The exact number is constantly changing and hard to pin down.