The term “sherpa” is derived from the terms “shyar” (pronounced “shur”) which means “east” and “pa” which means “people” in Nepali. Migrants who populated the region around Mount Everest throughout antiquity came from the Tiber in the east, crossing the Nangpa La, which means “Elder’s Pass” in Nepali, to settle into Solukhumbu (pronounced “solo-koom-boo”), a region in which the minimum altitude is 4000 meters above sea level. Living a nomadic lifestyle is what made the sherpas expertise so desirable to British mountaineers who arrived a few centuries later. British mountain climbers realized the immense value that these expert travelers possessed which is how the relationship of domestic sherpas and foreign alpinists began. Sherpas were and continue to serve as porters and guides for foreign climbers and during the modern day, a sherpa trekking Mount Everest can expect to earn $6000.00 upon an expedition which intends to reach the summit
Kind Sir,
The word “sherpa’s” in the title does not require an apostrophe. However, the word “sherpas” in line six does: it should read, “… is what made the sherpas’ expertise so desirable ….”
The final sentence beginning, “Sherpas were and continue to serve as porters …” should read, “Sherpas were serving and continue to serve as porters …” or “Sherpas served and continue to serve as porters ….”
It’s probably best to have someone proof-read material before publication.