The Tibetan word nying-je means – among other things – compassion, love, kindness and generosity of spirit. Like the Cherokee word oo-kah-huh-sdee, which describes being overwhelmed by how cute something is, these unique concepts can get lost in translation. With one of the world’s 6,000 languages disappearing every fortnight, such unique words may soon disappear entirely.
Like many other endangered languages, Tibetan faces the challenges of rapid urbanization and dwindling numbers of native speakers. Yet in Tibet it is Chinese governmental policy that poses the greatest risk, according to campaigners.
