Why did East Germanic languages such as Gothic become extinct?

The extinction of East Germanic languages, such as Gothic, was primarily driven by the migration of Germanic tribes and their subsequent assimilation into other populations. As these groups moved across Europe, they often became small, isolated communities within larger, dominant cultures.12

The decline of these languages was a gradual process linked to the loss of political and social cohesion. For instance, the Gothic language faded among the Ostrogoths following the collapse of their kingdom in Italy during the 6th century. Similarly, in Spain, it is uncertain whether the Visigoths maintained their language until the Arab conquest in 711.12

Historically, languages spoken by relatively small, mobile, or isolated groups are highly susceptible to extinction, especially when those speakers undergo extensive bilingualism and eventually shift to a dominant language. While Gothic persisted longer in the Crimean Peninsula—with evidence of its use as late as the 16th century—it ultimately succumbed to these same pressures of assimilation and lack of institutional support.312