| Population |
200,000 to 250,000 in Romania. Population total all countries 1,500,000 (1986). 6,000,000 to 11,000,000 all Gypsies in the world (1987 Ian Hancock). |
| Region |
Also spoken in 27 other countries including Albania, Argentina, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Colombia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Mexico, Moldova, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal. |
| Alternate names |
GYPSY, TSIGENE, ROMANESE, VLAX ROMANY, DANUBIAN |
| Dialects |
SEDENTARY ROMANIA, KALDERASH (KELDERASHÍCKO, COPPERSMITH), UKRAINE-MOLDAVIA, EASTERN, CHURARI (CHURARÍCKO, SIEVEMAKERS), LOVARI (LOVARÍCKO), MACHVANO (MACHVANMCKO), NORTH ALBANIAN, SOUTH ALBANIAN, SERBO-BOSNIAN, ZAGUNDZI, SEDENTARY BULGARIA, GHAGAR, GREKURJA (GRECO). |
| Classification |
Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Central zone, Romani, Vlax. |
| Comments |
Vlax developed from the Romani spoken when they were slaves in Romania for 500 years. There were migrations out of Romania from the mid-14th to mid-19th centuries. Those who left earlier have less Romanian influence in their dialects. Kalderash, Ursari, Churari are occupational ethnonyms; Machvano is a geographical one. Other names are Argintari 'silversmith', and Lingurari 'spoonmakers'. Machvano and Serbian Kalderash have a south Slavic superstratum; Russian Kalderash is influenced by east Slavic, mainly Russian; Lovari is influenced by Hungarian; Grekurja is probably Turkish influenced and is distinct from the Greek Romani dialect of Balkan Romani. All 20 or more Vlax dialects are inherently intelligible; the differences are mainly lexical and sociolinguistic (I. Hancock). Ethnic groups: Chache, Kaldarari, Lovári. The people are called Rroma. Grammar. Christian. NT 1984-1995. |
| Albania |
| Language name |
ROMANI, VLAX |
| Population |
60,000 in Albania (1991). |
| Dialects |
SOUTHERN VLAX ROMANI. |
| Comments |
Ethnic groups are Mechkaria, Kurtofia, Chergaria, and Kabuzia. Christian. NT 1984-1995. See main entry under Romania. |
| |
|
| Bosnia-Herzegovina |
| Language name |
ROMANI, VLAX |
| Alternate names |
TSIGENE, DANUBIAN, GYPSY, VLAX |
| Dialects |
SERBO-BOSNIAN (MACHWAYA, MACHVANO), KALDERASH, SOUTHERN VLAX. |
| Comments |
Vlax and Kalderash are understood by the Lovari. Ethnic group: Gurbéti. Christian. NT 1984-1995. See main entry under Romania. |
| |
|
| Bulgaria |
| Language name |
ROMANI, VLAX |
| Population |
500 Kalderash in Bulgaria. |
| Comments |
Christian. NT 1984-1995. See main entry under Romania. |
| |
|
| Colombia |
| Language name |
ROMANI, VLAX |
| Population |
39,000 Gypsies in Colombia (1993 Johnstone); Several hundred thousand in Latin America (1984 Ian Hancock). |
| Comments |
Christian. NT 1984-1986. See main entry under Romania. |
| |
|
| France |
| Language name |
ROMANI, VLAX |
| Population |
10,000 in France, including 8,000 Kalderash, 2,000 Lovari. |
| Alternate names |
ROMENES, ROM, TSIGANE, VLAX |
| Dialects |
KALDERASH, LOVARI. |
| Comments |
Vlax and Kalderash are understood by the Lovari. Christian. NT 1984-1995. See main entry under Romania. |
| |
|
| Germany |
| Language name |
ROMANI, VLAX |
| Population |
5,000 to 6,500 in Germany including 2,500 Lovari, 2,500 to 4,000 Kalderash. |
| Dialects |
LOVARI, KALDERASH. |
| Comments |
Christian. NT 1984-1995. See main entry under Romania. |
| |
|
| Greece |
| Language name |
ROMANI, VLAX |
| Population |
1,000 Lovari in Greece. |
| Alternate names |
ROMANÉS, TSINGANI, ROM |
| Dialects |
LOVARI. |
| Comments |
They can understand Manus (Manuche) only with difficulty. Settled Gypsies are bilingual. Speakers call themselves 'Rom'. Settled Gypsies accept being called 'Tsingani'. They call the nonsettled Gypsies 'Yifti'. Distinct from Rumanovlach, a variety of Rumanian. Christian. NT 1984-1995. See main entry under Romania. |
| |
|
| Hungary |
| Language name |
ROMANI, VLAX |
| Population |
5,000 to 20,000 Lovari in Hungary. |
| Alternate names |
GYPSY, TSIGENE, CIGÁNY, ROMUNGRE |
| Dialects |
LOVARI, CHURARI. |
| Comments |
Vlax in Hungary and Slovakia are called 'Romungre.' Christian. NT 1984-1995. See main entry under Romania. |
| |
|
| Italy |
| Language name |
ROMANI, VLAX |
| Population |
2,000 to 4,000 in Italy including 1,000 to 3,000 Kalderash, 1,000 Lovari. |
| Dialects |
KALDERASH, LOVARI. |
| Comments |
Christian. NT 1984-1995. See main entry under Romania. |
| |
|
| Netherlands |
| Language name |
ROMANI, VLAX |
| Population |
1,000 in the Netherlands including 500 Kalderash, 500 Lovari. |
| Dialects |
KALDERASH, LOVARI. |
| Comments |
Christian. NT 1984-1986. See main entry under Romania. |
| |
|
| Norway |
| Language name |
ROMANI, VLAX |
| Population |
500 Lovari in Norway. Reported to be 3,500 Gypsies in Norway (1993 Johnstone). |
| Dialects |
LOVARI. |
| Comments |
Literacy rate in first language: 30% to 60%. Literacy rate in second language: 75% to 100%. Christian. NT 1984-1986. See main entry under Romania. |
| |
|
| Poland |
| Language name |
ROMANI, VLAX |
| Population |
5,000 Lovari in Poland. |
| Dialects |
LOVARI. |
| Comments |
Christian. NT 1984-1995. See main entry under Romania. |
| |
|
| Portugal |
| Language name |
ROMANI, VLAX |
| Population |
500 Kalderash in Portugal. |
| Dialects |
KALDERASH. |
| Comments |
Christian. NT 1984-1986. See main entry under Romania. |
| |
|
| Russia (Europe) |
| Language name |
ROMANI, VLAX |
| Population |
10,000 Kalderash in Russia, Ukraine, and Moldova. |
| Dialects |
CENTRAL VLAX ROMANI, KALDERASH. |
| Comments |
Vlax from the former USSR are called 'Rusurja'. Ethnic groups: Sárvi (left-bank Ukraine), Volóxuja (right-bank Ukraine), Chache (Moldavia), Kalderari (Moldavia, Ukraine, Odessa, Transcarpathia), Lovári (Ukraine). About 300,000 Gypsies from the former USSR speak a variety of Romani, Lomavren, or Domari as first or second language (Gunnemarck and Kenrick). Christian. NT 1984-1986. See main entry under Romania. |
| |
|
| Slovakia |
| Language name |
ROMANI, VLAX |
| Population |
500 Lovari in Slovakia. |
| Dialects |
LOVARI, KALDERASH (KALDARÁRI). |
| Comments |
Kalderash is reported to be understood by the Lovari. Vlax from Hungary and Slovakia are called 'Romungre.' Christian. NT 1984-1995. See main entry under Romania. |
| |
|
| Sweden |
| Language name |
ROMANI, VLAX |
| Population |
500 Kalderash, 1,000 Lovari in Sweden. |
| Alternate names |
ZIGENARE |
| Dialects |
KALDERASH, LOVARI. |
| Comments |
Christian. NT 1984-1986. See main entry under Romania. |
| |
|
| Ukraine |
| Language name |
ROMANI, VLAX |
| Dialects |
UKRAINIAN VLAX ROMANI, CENTRAL VLAX ROMANI, KALDERASH. |
| Comments |
Vlax from the former USSR are called 'Rusurja'. Ethnic groups: Sárvi (left-bank Ukraine), Volóxuja (right-bank Ukraine), Chache (Moldavia), Kalderari (Moldavia, Ukraine, Odessa, Transcarpathia), Lovári (Ukraine). Christian. NT 1984-1995. See main entry under Romania. |
| |
|
| United Kingdom |
| Language name |
ROMANI, VLAX |
| Alternate names |
ROMENES, ROM, TSIGANE |
| Dialects |
KALDERASH, LOVARI. |
| Comments |
Vlax and Kalderash are understood by the Lovari. Christian. NT 1984-1995. See main entry under Romania. |
| |
|
