National language policies aim to favor or discourage particular languages. While countries historically promoted a single official language, many now protect minority languages threatened with extinction. Half of the world's 6000+ languages may disappear this century due to factors like population size and economic status. Policy approaches include assimilation, non-intervention, legal protections for multiple languages, and official/unofficial bilingualism or multilingualism. Language policy and politics influence issues like official status, education, identity promotion, and more.