By Mark Turin | Excerpts from a study by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) 

The death of a language marks the loss of yet another piece of cultural uniqueness from the mosaic of our diverse planet, and is therefore a tragedy for the heritage of all humanity. Language death is often compared to species extinction, and the same metaphors of preservation and diversity can be invoked to canvas support for biodiversity and language preservation programs. The present article addresses language endangerment in the Himalayas, with a focus on Nepal, [and links linguistic intolerance to ecological peril and regional conflict].