Romani, Vlax

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A language of Romania

ISO 639-3
rmy
Alternate Names
Danubian, Gypsy, Romanese, Tsigene, Vlax Romany
Population

242,000 in Romania (2002 census). 6,000,000 to 11,000,000 Gypsies in the world (1987 I. Hancock). Population total all countries: 540,780.

Location

Also in Albania, Argentina, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Colombia, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Mexico, Moldova, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russian Federation, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, United Kingdom.

Language Status

6b (Threatened). Recognized language (2001, Local Public Administration Law No. 215, Article 40(7), others).

Classification
Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Central zone, Romani, Vlax
Dialects

Churari (Churarícko, Sievemakers), Eastern Vlax Romani (Bisa), Ghagar, Grekurja (Greco), Kalderash (Coppersmith, Kelderashícko), Lovari (Lovarícko), Machvano (Machvanmcko), North Albanian, Sedentary Bulgaria, Sedentary Romania, Serbo-Bosnian, South Albanian, Ukraine-Moldavia, Zagundzi. Kalderash, Ursari, and Churari are occupational ethnonyms; Machvano is a geographical one. Other names are ‘Argintari’, silversmith and ‘Lingurari’, spoonmakers. Machvano and Serbian Kalderash have south Slavic superstratum; Russian Kalderash influenced by east Slavic, mainly Russian [rus]; Lovari influenced by Hungarian [hun]; Grekurja is probably Turkish [tur] influenced, distinct from Greek Romani dialect of Balkan Romani [rmn]. All 20 or more Vlax dialects are inherently intelligible; differences are mainly lexical and sociolinguistic (I. Hancock).

Language Use

Some children are not learning the language.

Language Development
Grammar. NT: 1984–1995.
Language Resources
OLAC resources in and about Romani, Vlax
Writing
Cyrillic script, used for Kalderash dialect. Latin script.
Other Comments

Ethnic groups: Chache, Kalderari, Lovári. Ethnonym: Roma. Christian.

Also spoken in:

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