Here are some mountaineering terms and acronyms that are understood on Everest, as well as certain words particular to the Himalayas:
AMS
Acute mountain sickness. This is what you may feel even if you go to a Colorado ski resort for several days: headache, fatigue, dehydration, trouble sleeping, nausea, rapid heartbeat. Of course, on the higher altitudes at Everest these symptoms can be exacerbated. They are best alleviated by proper acclimatization.
Belay
A method of maneuvering a rope to protect climbers and keep them from falling.
Bergschrund
A crevasse at the top of a glacier. The crevasse is caused by ice moving downhill and separating from the mountain.
Cheyne-Stokes phenomenon
An abnormal breathing pattern caused by living and sleeping at altitude, especially when one has not acclimatized correctly. Cheyne-Stokes is characterized by spells of rapid, shallow breathing during sleep, followed by periods of apnea lasting 30 seconds or more. The person usually awakes suddenly, starved for oxygen. The lungs require a buildup of carbon dioxide to breathe properly; however, in thin air, short, frequent breaths keep the level of CO2 in the blood too low. The lungs "forget" to breathe until the CO2 in them has accumulated sufficiently.
Chomolungma
Sherpa and Tibetan name for Everest meaning the goddess mother of the Earth.
Crampons
Ice pick-like points attached to the bottom of boots that help climbers in snow and ice.
Crevasse
A potentially large gap in a glacier caused by tension or shifting. On Everest crevasses can run 10 stories deep.
