Aromanian

A language of Macedonia

ISO 639-3

rup

Alternate Names

Armina, Armini, Aromunian, Arumanian, Arumenian, Macedo Romanian, Macedo-Rumanian, Vlach, Vlav

Autonym

Armani

Population

8,320 in Macedonia (2016). Total users in all countries: 181,120.

Location

Bitola, Ohrid, Prilep, Resen, and Struga municipalities: Gevgelija, Kocani-Vinica, Krusevo, Kumanovo, Skopje, Stip, and Sveti Nikole; north of Ohrid and Presba lakes.

Language Maps

Albania, Macedonia and Montenegro

Bulgaria

Greece

Serbia

Language Status

4 (Educational).

Classification

Indo-European, Italic, Romance, Eastern

Language Development

Taught in primary schools. Newspapers. Radio. TV. Dictionary. Bible portions: 1889–2014.

Language Resources

OLAC resources in and about Aromanian

Writing

Greek script [Grek]. Latin script [Latn].

Other Comments

Structurally distinct from Romanian [ron] (Agard 1984). Split from the other 3 Romanian languages between 500 and 1000 A.D.

Also spoken in:

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Albania

Language nameAromanian

Population Full

50,000 in Albania (2018 N. Balamaci).

Location

Fier County: Mbrostar commune; Gjirokastër and Korçë counties: far southeast; Tiranë area.

Alternate Names

Armani, Armina, Armini, Aromunian, Arumanian, Arumanisht, Arumenian, Arumun, Macedo Romanian, Macedo-Rumanian, Vlach

Status

6b* (Threatened).

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Bulgaria

Language nameAromanian

Population Full

9,800 in Bulgaria (2016 J. Leclerc).

Location

Blagoevgrad and Kyustendil provinces; Pazardzhit province: Peshtera, Rakitovo, and Velingrad municipalities.

Alternate Names

Armani, Armina, Armini, Arumanian, Macedo, Macedo-Rumanian, Romanian

Status

6a* (Vigorous). De facto language of provincial identity in Blagoevgrad, Kyustendil, Pazardzhik, Plovdiv, Sofia, Sofia Capital, Stanamaka, Stara Zagora, Veliko Tarnovo and Vidin provinces.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous. Refers to those whose relatives emigrated from Macedonia and northern Greece between 1850 and 1914. Romanian Cultural Institute was closed in 1948.

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Greece

Language nameAromanian

Population Full

50,000 in Greece (Salminen 1999). Ethnic population: 700,000 (Association of French Aromanians).

Location

Central Macedonia: Pella area, southeast of Lake Vegoritis and into Imathia, Kastoria into Florina and Kozani; Epirus region: western Ioannina; Thessaly region: Trikala southwest corner; Western Macedonia: Grevena.

Alternate Names

Armani, Armina, Armini, Arumanian, Arumenian, Macedo Romanian, Macedo-Rumanian, Vlach

Dialects

Structurally a distinct language from Megleno Romanian [ruq] (Agard 1984). It split from the other 3 Romanian languages between 500 and 1000 A.D. Many dialects.

Status

8a (Moribund).

Language Use

Rapid assimilation to Greek culture; children attend Greek schools. 20% live traditionally. No legal status in Greece. Not taught in school except for one course at the University of Salonica. Some revival of the culture in progress since the 1980s. Rapid language shift in Greece. Older adults only. People over 50 are fluent, many between 25 to 50 are passive speakers with limited knowledge of vocabulary and grammar. Known by some youth. Many also use Greek [ell].

Other Comments

Christian.

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Romania

Language nameAromanian

Population Full

50,000 in Romania (2018 N. Balamaci).

Location

Constanta and Tulcea counties; Dobrudja region; major cities like Bucharest.

Alternate Names

Armani, Macedo Romanian

Status

5* (Dispersed). Recognized language (2007, National Minority Status Law, Article 3(2)).

Language Use

Educational structure being set up to teach in Aromanian.

Other Comments

Non-indigenous. Officially related to Romanians rather than classified as a minority.

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Serbia

Language nameAromanian

Population Full

13,000 in Serbia (2009 J. Leclerc).

Location

Bor, Braničevo, Pomoravlje, and Zaječar districts.

Alternate Names

Armani, Macedo Romania

Status

6a* (Vigorous).

Other Comments

Non-indigenous.

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Ethnologue

Aromanian

Primary tabs

A language of Macedonia

Also spoken in:

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