Caló

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A language of Spain

ISO 639-3
rmq
Alternate Names
Gitano, Hispanoromani, Iberian Romani
Population

40,000 in Spain. Population total all countries: 70,000.

Location

Scattered. Also in Brazil, France, Portugal.

Language Status

5 (Developing).

Classification
Mixed language, Iberian-Romani
Dialects

Brazilian Calão, Catalonian Caló, Portuguese Calão (Calão, Lusitano-Romani), Spanish Caló. Gypsy language very different from other Romani. A cryptological variety of Spanish [spa] (I. Hancock 1995). McLane found 300 to 400 words based on Romani, but no individual acquainted with more than 100. Regional dialects have Iberian base of Caló, where boundary between Spanish and Portuguese [por] is not distinct.

Language Use

Also use Spanish [spa].

Language Development
Grammar. Bible portions: 1837–1872.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Caló
Writing
Latin script.
Other Comments

Movement to revive defunct inflected Spanish Romani; book printed in it (Hancock 1990). Christian.

Also spoken in:

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