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Ethnologue > Web version > Country index > Europe > Romania > Romani, Vlax

Romani, Vlax

A language of Romania

ISO 639-3: rmy

Population	242,000 in Romania (2002 census). 6,000,000 to 11,000,000 Gypsies in the world (1987 Ian Hancock). Population total all countries: 885,970.
Region	Also in Albania, Argentina, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Colombia, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Mexico, Moldova, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russian Federation (Europe), Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States.
Alternate names	Danubian, Gypsy, Romanese, Tsigene, Vlax Romany
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). Kalderash, Ursari, 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; 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).
Classification	Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Central zone, Romani, Vlax A member of macrolanguage Romany [rom] (Romania).
Language development	Grammar. NT: 1984–1995.
Writing system	Cyrillic script. Latin script.
Comments	Ethnic groups: Chache, Kalderari, Lovári. The people are called ‘Roma’. Christian.

Also spoken in:

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.

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Language name	Romani, Vlax
Population	400,000 in Bosnia and Herzegovina (2004).
Alternate names	Danubian, Gypsy, Tsigene, Vlax
Dialects	Serbo-Bosnian (Machwaya, Machvano), Kalderash, Southern Vlax.
Comments	Vlax and Kalderash are understood by the Lovari. Ethnic group: Gurbéti. Christian.

Bulgaria

Language name	Romani, Vlax
Population	500 in Bulgaria.
Comments	Christian.

Colombia

Language name	Romani, Vlax
Population	79,000 in Colombia (Johnstone and Mandryk 2001). Several hundred thousand in Latin America (1984 I. Hancock).
Comments	Christian.

France

Language name	Romani, Vlax
Population	10,000 in France. 8,000 Kalderash, 2,000 Lovari.
Alternate names	Rom, Romenes, Tsigane, Vlax
Dialects	Kalderash, Lovari.
Comments	Christian.

Germany

Language name	Romani, Vlax
Population	5,750 in Germany. 2,500 Lovari, 2,500 to 4,000 Kalderash.
Dialects	Lovari, Kalderash.
Comments	Christian.

Greece

Language name	Romani, Vlax
Population	1,000 in Greece.
Alternate names	Romanés, Tsingani
Dialects	Lovari.
Language use	Settled Gypsies also use Greek [ell].
Comments	They call the nonsettled Gypsies ‘Yifti’. Distinct from Rumanovlach, a variety of Rumanian. Christian.

Italy

Language name	Romani, Vlax
Population	4,000 in Italy. 1,000 to 3,000 Kalderash, 1,000 Lovari.
Dialects	Kalderash, Lovari.
Comments	Christian.

Netherlands

Language name	Romani, Vlax
Population	1,000 in Netherlands. 500 Kalderash, 500 Lovari.
Dialects	Kalderash, Lovari.
Language use	Official language.
Comments	Christian.

Norway

Language name	Romani, Vlax
Population	500 in Norway (Johnstone 1993). 3,500 ethnicGypsies in Norway.
Dialects	Lovari.
Language development	Literacy rate in L1: 30%–60%. Literacy rate in L2: 75%–100%.
Comments	Christian.

Poland

Language name	Romani, Vlax
Population	5,000 in Poland.
Dialects	Lovari.
Comments	Christian.

Portugal

Language name	Romani, Vlax
Population	500 in Portugal.
Dialects	Kalderash.
Comments	Christian.

Russian Federation (Europe)

Language name	Romani, Vlax
Population	10,000 in Russian Federation. Ethnic population: 182,766.
Region	Odessa, Transcarpathia.
Alternate names	Kalderash
Dialects	Central Vlax Romani, Kalderash.
Comments	Vlax from the former USSR 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 L1 or L2 (Gunnemark and Kenrick). Christian.

Slovakia

Language name	Romani, Vlax
Population	500 in Slovakia.
Dialects	Lovari, Kalderash (Kaldarári).
Comments	Vlax from Hungary and Slovakia are called ‘Romungre’. Christian.

Sweden

Language name	Romani, Vlax
Population	1,500 in Sweden. 500 Kalderash, 1,000 Lovari.
Alternate names	Zigenare
Dialects	Kalderash, Lovari.
Comments	Christian.

Ukraine

Language name	Romani, Vlax
Region	East and west, Odessa, Transcarpathia.
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.

United Kingdom

Language name	Romani, Vlax
Population	4,100 in United Kingdom (2004).
Alternate names	Rom, Romenes, Tsigane
Dialects	Kalderash, Lovari.
Comments	Christian.

Entries from the SIL Bibliography about this language:

Academic Publications

BOERGER, Brenda H., author. 1984. Proto-Romanes phonology.

GARDNER, D. J.; GARDNER, S. A., authors. 2008. "A provisional phonology of Gabor Romani."