rmy ISO 639

Romani Autonyms

Romani, Vlax

  • Geography

    RO Caras-Severin and Dolj counties: largest concentrations; scattered elsewhere south and southeast.
  • Language Cloud

A language of Romania

rmy
Danubian, Gypsy, Roma, Romanese, Tsigene, Vlax Romany
Romani
246,000 in Romania (2011 census). 6,000,000 to 11,000,000 Roma worldwide (1987 I. Hancock). Ethnic population: 622,000 (2011 census). Total users in all countries: 575,050.
Caras-Severin and Dolj counties: largest concentrations; scattered elsewhere south and southeast.
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia and Slovenia, Hungary, Northern Moldova and Northeast Romania, Romania Romani Language Extent
6b (Threatened). Recognized language (2001, Local Public Administration Law No. 215, Article 40(7), others).
Indo-European, Indo-Iranian, Indo-Aryan, Intermediate Divisions, Western, Romani, Vlax
Sedentar Romani, Romanian Kalderash (Coppersmith, Kalderari, Kalderash, Kelderash, Kelderashícko), Ukraine-Moldavia, Eastern Vlax Romani (Bisa), Churari (Churarícko, Sievemakers), Lovari (Lovarícko), Machvano (Machvanmcko), Serbo-Bosnian, Zagundzi, Sedentary Bulgarian, Ghagar, Gabor, Vallachian, Oltenian Ursari. Kalderash 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; Lovari influenced by Hungarian [hun]. All 20 or more Vlax dialects are inherently intelligible; differences are mainly lexical and sociolinguistic (I. Hancock). A member of macrolanguage Romany [rom].
Some children are not learning the language. Some young people, all adults.
Printed or pre-recorded Romani language materials may not be understandable outside the country (or context of surrounding languages) in which they were produced. Grammar. Bible: 2008.
Cyrillic script [Cyrl], used by Kalderash dialect. Latin script [Latn].
Christian.
OLAC resources in and about Romani, Vlax
Romani, Vlax
4,000 in Albania (2012 census). Ethnic population: 8,300 (2012 census).
Berat, Durrës, Elbasan, Korçë, Lezhë, Shkodër, Tiranë, and Vlorë counties.
South Albanian (Fieri, Korça), North Albanian, Gurbet.
5 (Dispersed)
Also use Gheg Albanian [aln]. Also use Tosk Albanian [als].
Printed or pre-recorded Romani language materials may not be understandable outside the country (or context of surrounding languages) in which they were produced.
Non-indigenous. Ethnic groups are Ҫergar, Herli, Kurtof, and Meçkar. Christian.
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Romani, Vlax
59,000 in Argentina (2018), based on nationality.
Russian Kalderash.
Unestablished
Printed or pre-recorded Romani language materials may not be understandable outside the country (or context of surrounding languages) in which they were produced.
Non-indigenous.
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Romani, Vlax
Burgenland state: Oberwart district and Oberwart city.
Austrian Lovari.
6b (Threatened)
Printed or pre-recorded Romani language materials may not be understandable outside the country (or context of surrounding languages) in which they were produced.
Non-indigenous.
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Romani, Vlax
4,000 in Bosnia and Herzegovina (2012 R. Hasic).
Scattered.
Serbo-Bosnian (Machvano, Machwaya), Kalderash, Southern Vlax, Gurbet.
5 (Dispersed)
Printed or pre-recorded Romani language materials may not be understandable outside the country (or context of surrounding languages) in which they were produced.
Non-indigenous. Christian.
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Romani, Vlax
1,830 in Bulgaria (2011 census).
Sofiya province: Ihtiman.
Ihtiman.
5 (Dispersed)
Also use Bulgarian [bul].
Printed or pre-recorded Romani language materials may not be understandable outside the country (or context of surrounding languages) in which they were produced.
Non-indigenous. Christian.
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Romani, Vlax
20,000 in Brazil (2021 Joshua Project), based on ethnicity.
Pernambuco state.
Russian Kalderash.
Unestablished
All also use Portuguese [por].
Printed or pre-recorded Romani language materials may not be understandable outside the country (or context of surrounding languages) in which they were produced.
Non-indigenous.
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Romani, Vlax
4,850 in Colombia (2005 census). Several hundred thousand throughout Latin America (Hancock 1984a).
Unestablished
Printed or pre-recorded Romani language materials may not be understandable outside the country (or context of surrounding languages) in which they were produced.
Non-indigenous. Christian.
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Romani, Vlax
8,070 in Czechia (2011 census).
Scattered.
Lallere.
5 (Dispersed)
Printed or pre-recorded Romani language materials may not be understandable outside the country (or context of surrounding languages) in which they were produced.
Non-indigenous. Ethnic group: Sasítka Romá. Christian.
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Romani, Vlax
5,000 in Germany. 2,500 Lovari, 2,500–4,000 Kalderash.
Scattered.
Lovari, Kalderash.
Unestablished
Also use Standard German [deu].
Printed or pre-recorded Romani language materials may not be understandable outside the country (or context of surrounding languages) in which they were produced.
Non-indigenous. Christian.
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Romani, Vlax
1,000 in Spain (2000).
Kalderash.
Unestablished
Also use Spanish [spa].
Printed or pre-recorded Romani language materials may not be understandable outside the country (or context of surrounding languages) in which they were produced.
Non-indigenous.
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Romani, Vlax
10,000 in France. 8,000 Kalderash, 2,000 Lovari.
Kalderash, Lovari.
Unestablished
Also use French [fra].
Printed or pre-recorded Romani language materials may not be understandable outside the country (or context of surrounding languages) in which they were produced.
Non-indigenous. Christian.
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Romani, Vlax
1,000 in Greece.
Attica region: Ajia Varvara, suburb of Athens; Epirus region: Parakalamos; Thessaly region: Karditsa regional unit, Sofades; Trikala regional unit.
Lovari, Grekurja (Greco), Kalpazea, Filipidzía, Xandurja. Grekurja is probably Turkish [tur] influenced, distinct from Greek Romani dialect of Balkan Romani [rmn] (I. Hancock).
5 (Dispersed)
Also use Greek [ell], especially the settled population.
Printed or pre-recorded Romani language materials may not be understandable outside the country (or context of surrounding languages) in which they were produced.
Non-indigenous. Nonsettled Gypsies are called Yifti. Distinct from Rumanovlach, a variety of Romanian. Christian.
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Romani, Vlax
54,300 in Hungary (2011 census). Ethnic population: 309,000 (2011 census).
Bács-Kiskun, Baranya, Békés, and Csongrád-Csanád counties.
Lovari (Hungarian Lovari), Cerhari.
4 (Educational)
Also use Hungarian [hun].
Printed or pre-recorded Romani language materials may not be understandable outside the country (or context of surrounding languages) in which they were produced. Taught as subject in primary and secondary schools.
Non-indigenous.
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Romani, Vlax
4,000 in Italy. 1,000–3,000 Kalderash, 1,000 Lovari.
Major cities.
Kalderash (Italian Kalderash), Lovari, Italian Xoraxane.
5 (Dispersed)
Also use Italian [ita].
Printed or pre-recorded Romani language materials may not be understandable outside the country (or context of surrounding languages) in which they were produced.
Non-indigenous. Christian.
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Romani, Vlax
Bitola, Dolneni, Ohrid, Prilep, and Resen municipalities.
Gurbet (Das, Džambazi).
6a (Vigorous)
Also use Macedonian [mkd].
Printed or pre-recorded Romani language materials may not be understandable outside the country (or context of surrounding languages) in which they were produced.
Non-indigenous.
View other languages of North Macedonia
Romani, Vlax
5,000 in Mexico (1993).
Oaxaca state.
Mexican Vlax.
5 (Dispersed)
Also use Spanish [spa].
Printed or pre-recorded Romani language materials may not be understandable outside the country (or context of surrounding languages) in which they were produced.
Non-indigenous.
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Romani, Vlax
1,000 in Netherlands. 500 Kalderash, 500 Lovari.
Kalderash, Lovari.
Unestablished
Also use Dutch [nld].
Printed or pre-recorded Romani language materials may not be understandable outside the country (or context of surrounding languages) in which they were produced.
Non-indigenous. Christian.
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Romani, Vlax
500 in Norway (Johnstone 1993). Ethnic population: 3,500.
Oslo county.
Lovari (Norwegian Lovari).
5 (Dispersed)
Also use Norwegian [nor].
Literacy rate in L1: 30%–60%. Literacy rate in L2: 75%–100%. Printed or pre-recorded Romani language materials may not be understandable outside the country (or context of surrounding languages) in which they were produced.
Non-indigenous. Christian.
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Romani, Vlax
5,000 in Poland.
Scattered.
Lovari (Polish Lovari).
5 (Dispersed)
Most also use Polish [pol].
Printed or pre-recorded Romani language materials may not be understandable outside the country (or context of surrounding languages) in which they were produced.
Non-indigenous. Christian.
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Romani, Vlax
500 in Portugal.
Scattered.
Kalderash.
5 (Dispersed)
All also use Portuguese [por], as the language of education, government, business, and upward mobility.
Printed or pre-recorded Romani language materials may not be understandable outside the country (or context of surrounding languages) in which they were produced.
Non-indigenous. Christian.
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Romani, Vlax
Widespread.
Lovari, Kalderash (Serbian Kalderash), Gurbet (Dzambazi, Gurbetsky).
6a (Vigorous)
Also use Serbian [srp].
Printed or pre-recorded Romani language materials may not be understandable outside the country (or context of surrounding languages) in which they were produced.
Non-indigenous.
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Romani, Vlax
128,000 in Russian Federation (2010 census). Census includes all Romani languages. Ethnic population: 205,000 (2010 census).
Scattered.
Central Vlax Romani, Kalderash (Kelderash, Russian Kalderash), Lovari (Chokeshi Lovari). Russian Kalderash influenced by east Slavic, mainly Russian [rus] (I. Hancock).
6b (Threatened)
Also use Russian [rus].
Printed or pre-recorded Romani language materials may not be understandable outside the country (or context of surrounding languages) in which they were produced.
Non-indigenous. Vlax speakers from Russia 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 Soviet Union speak a variety of Romani, Lomavren, or Domari as L1 or L2 (Gunnemark and Kenrick 1985). Christian.
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Romani, Vlax
12,000 in Sweden (2020 Joshua Project), based on ethnicity.
Stockholm.
Kalderash (Taikon Kalderash), Lovari, Machvano, Gurbet.
6b (Threatened)
Printed or pre-recorded Romani language materials may not be understandable outside the country (or context of surrounding languages) in which they were produced.
Non-indigenous. Christian.
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Romani, Vlax
Scattered.
Lovari, Kalderash (Kaldarári), Slovak Bougesti.
5 (Dispersed)
Also use Slovak [slk].
Printed or pre-recorded Romani language materials may not be understandable outside the country (or context of surrounding languages) in which they were produced.
Non-indigenous. Christian.
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Romani, Vlax
Odessa and Zakarpattia regions.
Central Vlax Romani, Kalderash, Ukrainian Vlax.
6b (Threatened)
Also use Ukrainian [ukr].
Printed or pre-recorded Romani language materials may not be understandable outside the country (or context of surrounding languages) in which they were produced.
Non-indigenous. Vlax speakers from Russia are called Rusurja. Ethnic groups: Sárvi (left-bank Ukraine), Volóxuja (right-bank Ukraine), Chache (Moldavia), Kalderari (Moldavia, Ukraine, Odessa, Transcarpathia), Lovári (Ukraine). Christian.
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