Let's first take a closer look at the linguistic diversity that existed five hundred years ago. In 1500 there were probably about 7 thousand languages spoken across the earth, most still groupable into the 25 or so major families represented today.
Browse popular topics: Pharynx. The pharynx, or throat, is the passageway leading from the mouth and nose to the esophagus and larynx. The pharynx permits the passage of swallowed solids and liquids into the esophagus, or gullet, and conducts air to and from the trachea, or windpipe, during respiration.
The pharynx is part of both the digestive system and the respiratory system. As a component of the upper respiratory tract, the pharynx is part of the conducting zone for air into the lungs. Therefore, one of its primary functions is to warm and humidify air before it reaches the lungs.