In Romansh—Switzerland’s fourth official language along with German, Italian, and French—allegra is an everyday greeting that means “joy to you.” It’s a wonderful way to address local farmers passing by with their sheep. Romansh, descended from Latin, has been kept alive here for so long because of the valley’s geographical isolation. —Kimberly Bradley

Photo by Ward Schumaker. This appeared in the January/February 2011 issue.