Human language is a product of evolution that is species-specific; embeds as a part of larger ecosystem and co-evolves in conjunction with demographic, socioeconomic, political, and technological events. It is intimately connected with individual, society, culture and environment, and thrives on domains of its use. Krauss (1992) estimates that half of the world’s languages (estimated to be around 7000) will be extinct. Hence, language endangerment is a global phenomenon – a matter of immediate concern and prompt action specially in the context where forty percent of world’s languages are endangered at various degrees. As a matter of fact, most of the world’s languages are undescribed, and as many are yet to be identified and classified. Such languages are often mostly at the brink of extinction.
Sikkim and North Bengal has more than 34 languages belonging to the Indo-Aryan, the Dravidian, the Austro-Asiatic, and the Tibeto-Burman language families endangered to various degrees. The Centre for Endangered Languages, Sikkim University, currently, is working on the documentation and description of Bhujel, Gurung, Magar, Rai-Rokdung and Sherpa of Sikkim and North Bengal. As a part of the continued effort to safeguard and promote the vanishing voices of the region, the Centre for Endangered Languages, Sikkim University plans to work on other endangered languages of the region apart from the above mentioned languages.
