The Himalaya and surrounding regions are amongst the world's most linguistically diverse
places. Of an estimated 600 languages spoken here at Asia's heart few are researched in depth
and many virtually undocumented. Historical developments and relationships between the region's
languages also remain poorly understood. This book brings together new work on under-researched
Himalayan languages with investigations into the complexities of the area's linguistic history
offering original data and perspectives on the synchrony and diachrony of the Greater Himalayan
Region.The volume arises from papers given and topics discussed at the 16th Himalayan Languages
Symposium in London in 2010. Most papers focus on Tibeto-Burman languages. These include topics
relating to individual - mostly small and endangered - languages such as Tilung Shumcho
Rengmitca Yongning Na and Tshangla comparative research on the Tibetic East Bodish and
Tamangic language groups and several papers whose scope covers the whole language family. The
remaining paper deals with the origins of Burushaski whose genetic affiliation remains
uncertain.This book will be of special interest to scholars of Tibeto-Burman and historical as
well as general linguists.
