Introduction to the value of vocal languages and the threat posed by their disappearance, with a focus upon the endangered languages of Africa and Asia. This course will employ a multidisciplinary approach to address the impending disappearance of the world's linguistic and cultural patrimony, which is one of the greatest challenges facing mankind in the 21st century. The discussion of these general issues will be illustrated with nine case studies of endangered languages and the traditions that they represent: three from the Middle East, three from South Asia, and three from Africa.