Romansh language

Spoken in

Indo-European languages Italic languages Romance Languages Romansh language (?) Romansh

Raw

The Graubünden in the Swiss canton of Romansh spoken - of linguists and also Romansh speakers of Romansh also called - is grouped with the Dolomites Ladin and Friulian with the Romansh languages , a subset of the Romance languages . Whether Romansch languages form a genetic unit - the Grisons Romansh is therefore related genetically closer to the Dolomites Ladin and Friulian as with all other Romance languages - is not decided in speech research.

Designation

The ratio of Romansh, Friulian Dolomitenladinisch and each is controversial in linguistics. (More on this in the article Romansh languages. ) Are correspondingly mixed the names.

In Switzerland, the group of languages spoken in Switzerland, Roman idioms in the Federal Constitution and the laws will be officially designated Romansh. There is no legal concept Romansh.

The German Swiss population refers to the language in general as Romansh or simply as Romansh. The term Romansh is indeed readily understood, but felt to be totally strange or even wrong.

In contrast, linguists call this group of idioms mostly as Romansh. The term Romansh is inconsistently used by linguists and even completely rejected by some.

Distribution area

In the 1990 census 66'356 Swiss people gave Romansh as regularly spoken language, which they described as 39'632 main language. In 2000, only 35'095 Romansh as the main language.

Because of the previous isolation of many places and valleys of the Grisons various idioms have developed, which can be divided into five groups:

Sursilvan: distributed in the anterior Rhine valley and its tributary valleys ( at Sedrun and in the Val Medel 's own dialect Tuatschin ) as well as in the region Imboden ( Il Plaun ) with the villages Domat / Ems, Rhazuns ( Razen ) Bonaduz and Trin. The latter include local dialects due to their linguistic features, although actually the Sutsilvan, but is only written Sursilvan.
Sutsilvan: in areas of Hinterrheins, namely in the mountain communities of the Domleschg ( Tumleastga ) and the Heinz Berg ( Mantogna ), as well as in the shams ( Schons ) and Val Ferrera
Surmiran: spread the Albula Valley in the municipality Vaz / Obervaz and Above stone ( Sursés )
Computer: includes in the Upper Engadine and Berguen / Bravuogn, which are not geographically part of the Engadine and the Surmiran related local dialect
Vallader: widespread in the Lower Engadine and in the Munster ( there in the dialect variant Jawor )

The alignment corresponds to the spread from west to east. Puter and Vallader be summarized by the novels as Romansh and Ladin in the hymn Chara lingua da la mamma sung ( " chara lingua da la mom, tü sonorous rumantsch ladin ...").

Each of these five idioms has developed its own written language, which, however, itself a compromise between different local and regional dialects. Such regional dialects are approximately in the Surmeirischen Sursés (voiced Above stone) and the Sutsès (pronounced inter alia, in the Albula valley ) and in the Unterengadinischen Jawor ( spoken in the Munster ).

Language majority in the Grisons 1860

Language majority in the Grisons 2000

Actual distribution of the national languages in Graubünden 2000

Dissemination of Romansh as their main language in 2000

History

Originally, the present distribution area of the Romanesque period Celts and probably inhabited only in the far east of the Grisons, of Rhaetians. As for the allocation of the Reti and their language, you are uncertain. It assumes, however, that the Rhaetian language was not Indo-European. More certain statements can hardly make only because of the fragmentary tradition of the Rhaetian.

These peoples were subjected during the Alpine campaign of 15 BC by the Romans, who (mainly in the form of the language spoken by the common people and the military Vulgar Latin ) brought the Latin language in the conquered territories.

How fast was then the Romanization is uncertain. In any case, the process must have lasted centuries, as in other remote areas. At the end of antiquity, the original pre-Roman languages were not in accordance with the final findings of linguistic research seems virtually extinct and there remained only a few loanwords in Romanesque receive. These relate mainly to the Alps typical names from the fields of flora and fauna as well as site designations (eg crap " stone ").

As of 8/9 Century became the region under germanischsprachigen influence. In the course of increasing German was the official language, Romansh was considered at that time contemptuously as " rural language ". That was talked about earlier on a much larger area Romanesque, shows among other things the Rhaeto-Romanic many place names and loanwords in the German-speaking cantons of Glarus and today St. Gallen. They show that lay to the High Middle Ages and sometimes even longer the language border in the northwest of the country Gaster and thus the entire sea area whales ( whales with welsch - related ) was Romanesque. In the northeast the Romansh-speaking territory extended to the so-called Hirschsprung at Ruthi in the St. Gallen Rhine Valley. Also, large areas in Vorarlberg and the western Tyrol were formerly Romanesque. At the latest (after the 11th century ) were Germanized areas whose local names are not stressed on the first syllable, eg ( Bad ) Ragaz, Sargan, Vaduz (from Latin aquaeductus " water pipe " ), Montafon, Tschagguns and Galtür.

The first known Romansh documents were translations of Latin sermons. It was only during the Reformation arose actual written languages in the different idioms. The main reason that there are no uniform written language developed for all idioms and that the Romanesque increasingly lost ground against the German language, was the lack of a Roman intellectual and political center. The city of Chur, which would have been the only one of such a function in question came as episcopal early under German influence and was only in German from the 15th century. Only recently, ie from the beginning of the 20th century, has been due to the expulsion of novels again are increasingly able to form something of a center for the Romansh language and culture in the capitals of the Romanesque important impetus in the family seat out. This development goes hand in hand with the increasing expression of a Romance language awareness, which is still largely missing before the 19th century.

The name Romansh naturalized itself only about a mid-19th century. It goes back to the name of the Roman province of Raetia, but comprised a far larger area than the habitat of the subject Rhaetians, which, according to current state of research, only in the far east of present-day Graubünden, namely in the Lower Engadine and in Munster, lived.

In the Middle Ages called German -speaking Romansh still Chur Welsch ( " spoken by the inhabitants of Chur Welsh language "). Martin Luther was referring in the 16th century, the word gibberish explicitly on the Chur Welsche. The occasion was called " scree Latin " (for the geological background, see Bündnerschiefer ) is more recent ( mid 20th century ) and less contemptible, but rather a friendly or mischievous meant.

Retreat recently

After the language barriers between the 15th and 18th centuries had remained relatively stable, the Romanesque harried since the 19th century more and more from the Germans. Most of the Sutsilvan area is now in German; young Romansh - speakers you can find there almost exclusively on Schamserberg. Also in the Upper Engadin Romansh is already since the end of the 19th century on the defensive, but he could hold due to most places still Romanesque primary school until now much better than in the Sutselva. Be distinguished in the field of Surmiran must be between Sursés / Above stone and Albula Valley: In Sursés Romansh is still firmly anchored and in no immediate danger, in contrast to the Albula valley. The strongholds of Romansh, however, are found in the west or in the south east of the Grisons: The Surselva (including over 90% Roman side valley Lumnezia / Damphreux ) and the Lower Engadine ( including Munster ).

RG

RG ( in German literally means " Grisons Romansh ", not to be confused with Romansh ) is developed on the initiative of Lia Rumantscha by linguist Heinrich Schmid in the 1970s and 1980s, common written language for the Romansh idioms. Since 2001, RG official written language in the canton of Grisons and in the covenant for the marketing of the Romance-speaking population; in the Latin communities it serves, however, as before the particular idiom as an official language. The common written language is aimed at strengthening the Romanesque and thus the preservation of the endangered language.

RG was taken not only friendly of the population. Many Grisons, not only novels, fear that an artificial language the gravedigger of Romansh could be. Others are more optimistic, citing the example of the German literary language, it also failed to influence the diverse German Swiss dialects essential.

In August 2003, decided the Graubünden cantonal parliament that RG is introduced as a written language in all schools Romanesque and that new teaching tool for the Romansh-speaking schools are only issued in RG. Until then, all teaching materials were published in all the five traditional idioms. On the one hand, this measure allows savings in the production of textbooks. Especially in heavily Germanized areas with a significantly different Lokalidiom weakens, however, the position of Romansh addition, because the children need to learn a de facto second foreign to them Romansh. From non -Roman side, the dialectal differences are often extremely underestimated, because they are much more pronounced than about between the different Swiss German dialects. For the implementation of the Act of Parliament, a transition period of twenty years applies. However, according to the current legal situation can later no community for the introduction of RG at the school will be forced, but the procurement of suitable teaching aids in the idioms will make more difficult.

The Graubünden canton government has created different models for implementation. The model " pioneer community " sees, for example, before the immediate introduction of RG in passive form, which means that students learn during a two -year introductory phase RG only by listening to lyrics and songs. Only after this mandatory phase RG is also active in learning.

The first, the municipalities of Val Müstair ( Munster ) have opted for the pioneer model and from 2005 was in these communities passive phase in progress. Since the school year 2007/2008 the students of Münstertal RG learn actively as a written language. That introduce the communities of the Münstertal first RG as a written language, is no coincidence, as the written language Vallader been used already had big differences to their own dialect; Moreover, there is Romanesque (in the form of the local dialect Jawor ) which RG is 95% of the population actively spoken and well maintained, mostly not perceived by the population as a threat to their language. The loss of the old written language see the proponents of RG outweighed by the advantage of a unified written language throughout the canton.

Following the example of Münstertal have also become more municipalities of the canton followed, for a particular those that are where the RG relatively closely related dialects spoken, on the other hand those that are exposed to strong pressure from the Germans. So now, most of the communities above the stone, the Albula valley and the lower Surselva ( here first the community Trin ) also started the " pioneering" phase and partially completed.

Meanwhile, however, see the parents of the children in the Val Müstair the idiom at risk and consider RG no more than a good idea to promote the Romansh. In a vote in March 2012, they decided to leave again to teach the idiom in the schools. First, there was the concern that this was unconstitutional. Now this is clear: It is not unconstitutional.

Anchoring of Romansh in the constitutions of the federal government, the canton of Grisons Grisons and the communities

At federal level, Romansh language as well as in relations with the Romansh-speaking population, the official language. Here, all five idioms are equal. Novels thus have the opportunity and the right to communicate with the federal authorities in language and writing in Romansh. Publications of the Federal However not written in the various idioms, but only in RG.

At the cantonal level, Romansh is one of three cantonal national and official languages. Since 1992, the canton of Graubünden operated in correspondence with the Roman population, as well as in Roman pronouncements ( Collection of Laws, State Journal, referenda, etc.) excluding the RG. This practice is confirmed by Article 3 of the Grisons Language Act of 2006.

At the local level, each municipality regulates in its Constitution and its laws which language or idiom which is official and / or school language. According to Article 16 of the Grisons language law apply municipalities where at least 40 % of the population speak the ancestral idiom, as officially monolingual, and communities where at least 20 % speak its traditional idiom, as an officially bilingual. The municipalities also have the option to call instead of an idiom RG as an official language.

Language support

The vocabulary of all Romansh dialects as well as that of the older language levels is documented in the multi-volume Dicziunari RG, which, published by the Società Retorumantscha appears in Chur since 1938. Work is currently underway on the 13th band.

The Lia Rumantscha is an umbrella organization of several regional associations, the competent authority of Romance Language and cultural support, for which it is largely funded by the federal and canton.

The Lia Rumantscha and its member regional associations were restructured in 2005-2007; the powers were split by territory, denominations are no longer relevant.

Romania for the Catholic part of the Surselva,
Renania for the evangelical part of the Surselva, Domleschg and Val Schons,
Uniun dal Surmeir for the upper part of the Above the stone as well as the
Uniun dals Grischs for the lower part of the Engadine.

Surselva Romontscha for the whole Surselva,
Uniun Romontscha Grischun Central for the Above the stone and Sutselva,
Uniun dals Grischs for the Engadine, the Munster and Berguen

Romansh is the most important youth organization Giuventetgna Rumantscha ( GiuRu ), which doubles as the editor of the youth magazine PUNTS.

In addition, several other clubs have also to promoting the Romansh language, but act independently of the Lia Rumantscha exist. Three of them are:

Has per Romansh, a manifesto that grischun the introduction of Romansh as a language of literacy in schools to target.
Pro Idioms, Association for the Conservation of the Romanesque idioms in compulsory education.
Viro, Visiun Romontscha, a club from the Surselva who wants to give out to each municipality a " Cudischet " in which each community presented in Romansh.
Pro Svizra Rumantscha, which has campaigned for a national daily newspaper in Romansh and now the Roman news agency ANR (since Novitads rumantscha Agentura ) support.
Romontschissimo, a club from the Surselva, which has set itself the goal of developing educational software for Romansh.

A contribution to the dissemination of RG as a common written language of the Romance idioms has done in the spring of 2006 with the Roman translation of Microsoft Office with the appropriate dictionary and grammar, the American software company Microsoft. Since April 2005, Google Inc. on a Romansh interface for its search service.

Linguistic peculiarities

Typical of the Grisons Romanesque include the suffix "- ziun " or letter combinations such as " tan " or " aun " / " eun ", which are alien to the neighboring Italian. Arguably the most prominent distinguishing feature of this is true, the formation of the plural with - ls or -s, which does not exist in Italian.

In most idioms According to the connection [ ʃc ] / is [ ʃtɕ ] to find; particularly striking is the spelling used in the Engadine s- ch (for example, s- chela, stairs ', Suos -ch, dirty ' and often in place names: S- chanf, S- charl, Chamues -ch, Porta d'Es -cha ). In the other idioms is the same sound written stg (for example Sursilvan biestg, beef ').

Magazines

Engadine Post, bilingual weekly newspaper for the Engadine
La Pagina because Surmeir, Romanesque weekly newspaper for the Above stone ( = Surses )
La Quotidiana Romanesque daily newspaper for all Romansh-speaking areas

The Romansh idioms compared

The differences between the idioms are " The Raven and the Fox " by Jean de La Fontaine is exemplified by the first sentences of the story here:

Sursilvan ( Sursilvan )

Listen? / I L' uolp era puspei inagada fomentada. Cheu ha ella viu sin in Pegn in tgaper che Teneva in toc caschiel s siu bec. Quei gustass a mi, ha ella tertgau, ed ha clamau al tgaper: " Tgei bi che ti ice! Scheme tiu cant ei aschi Bials sco tia cumparsa, ice lu ti il pli bi utschi since tuts ".

Sutselvisch ( Sutsilvan )

La gualp eara Puspe egn'eada fumantada. Qua â ella vieu sen egn Pegn egn CORV ca Taneva egn toc caschiel ainten sieus Pecel. Quegl gustass a mei, â ella tartgieu, ad â clamo agli CORV: " Tge beal ca file it! Saddle tieus tgànt e aschi beal sco tia Pareta, it alura file igl ple beal utschi since tuts ".

Surmeirisch ( Surmiran )

La golp era Puspe Eneda famantada. Cò ò ella via sen en Pegn s CORV tgi tigniva en toc caschiel sies ainten Pechel. Chegl on gustess, ella Panso ò, ò ed clamo agl CORV: " Tge bel tgi th is! Ski igl ties cant è bel ski scu tia parent harm alloura, te igl pi bel utschel as tots ".

Oberengadinisch ( turkey )

Listen? / I La vuolp d' eira darcho una Vouta famanteda. Cò ho'la vis sinful ün pin ün CORV chi tgnaiva ün daughters Chaschöl in sieu pical. Que gustess on, ho'la penso, ed ho clamo al CORV: "Che bel cha tü est! Saddle tieu it chaunt Usche bel scu tia apparentscha, alura tü est il bel po suction because tuots ".

Unterengadinisch ( Vallader )

La vuolp d' eira darcheu una jada fomantada. Qua ha'la vis sinful ün pin ün CORV chi tgnaiva ün toc Chaschöl in seis pical. Quai on gustess, ha'la Penza, ed ha Cloma al CORV: "Che bel cha tü est! Saddle teis chant it Usche bel sco tia apparentscha, lura tü est il bel Plue suction because tuots ".

Jawor ( Münstertalerisch )

La uolp d' darchiau era una jada fomantada. Qua ha'la vis sinful ün pin ün CORV chi tegnea ün toc Chaschöl in ses pical. Quai ma gustess, ha'la s'impissà, ed ha Cloma al CORV: " Cha cha bel tü esch! Saddle tes it chaunt Ishe bel sco tia apparentscha, lura esch tü il bel po suction as tots ".

( Since the Jawor does not have a standardized written language, this is just an example to reproduce the dialect in writing. )

RG

La vulp era Puspe ina giada fomentada. Qua ha ella vis sin in pign in CORV che tegneva in toc chaschiel en ses pichel. Quai ma gustass, ha ella Penza, ed ha CLAMA al CORV: " Tge bel che ti it! Scheme tes chant è Usche bel sco tia parita, it lura il ti pli bel suction because tuts ".

Italian

La volpe era Un'altra volta affamata. Vide allora su un abete un corvo che un Teneva pezzo di formaggio nel Becco. Quello mi piacerebbe, Penso, e GRIDO al corvo: "Che bello is! Se il tuo canto è così bello come il tuo aspetto, allora il più bello di tutti is gli uccelli. "

Latin

Cum vulpes rursus esuriebat, subito vidit Corvum abiete residentem et Caseum tenentem in ore. Cum hunc sibi dulci sapore fore secum cogitavisset, clamavit ad Corvum: Quam pulcher it! Cum tibi cantus aeque pulcher est atque species, it tum pulcherrimus omnium alitum.

German

The fox was hungry again. And then he saw a fir tree a raven holding a piece of cheese in its beak. That would taste me, he thought, and cried to the Raven: " How beautiful you are! If your song is as beautiful as your looks, then you are the most beautiful of all birds. "

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