Editing Romani language (section)

== Dialects ==
[[File:Romany dialects Europe.svg|thumb|upright=1.25|Dialects of the Romani language]]
Today's dialects of Romani are differentiated by the vocabulary accumulated since their departure from [[Anatolia]], as well as through [[sound change|divergent phonemic evolution]] and grammatical features. Many Roma no longer speak the language or speak various new [[contact language]]s from the local language with the addition of Romani vocabulary.

Dialect differentiation began with the dispersal of the Romani from the Balkans around the 14th century and on, and with their settlement in areas across Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries.{{sfn|Matras|2006|loc=Dialect diversity}} The two most significant areas of divergence are the southeast (with epicenter of the northern Balkans) and west-central Europe (with epicenter Germany).{{sfn|Matras|2006|loc=Dialect diversity}} The central dialects replace ''{{lang|rom|s}}'' in grammatical paradigms with ''{{lang|rom|h}}''.{{sfn|Matras|2006|loc=Dialect diversity}} The northwestern dialects append ''{{lang|rom|j-}}'', simplify ''{{lang|rom|ndř}}'' to ''{{lang|rom|r}}'', retain ''{{lang|rom|n}}'' in the nominalizer ''{{lang|rom|-ipen}}'' / ''{{lang|rom|-iben}}'', and lose adjectival past-tense in intransitives (''{{lang|rom|gelo}}'', ''{{lang|rom|geli}}'' → ''{{lang|rom|geljas}}'' 'he/she went').{{sfn|Matras|2006|loc=Dialect diversity}} Other isoglosses (esp. demonstratives, 2/3pl perfective concord markers, loan verb markers) motivate the division into Balkan, Vlax, Central, Northeast, and Northwest dialects.{{sfn|Matras|2006|loc=Dialect diversity}}

Matras (2002, 2005) has argued for a theory of geographical classification of Romani dialects, which is based on the diffusion in space of innovations. According to this theory, [[Early Romani]] (as spoken in the Byzantine Empire) was brought to western and other parts of Europe through population migrations of Rom in the 14th–15th centuries. These groups settled in the various European regions during the 16th and 17th centuries, acquiring fluency in a variety of contact languages. Changes emerged then, which spread in wave-like patterns, creating the dialect differences attested today. According to Matras, there were two major centres of innovations: some changes emerged in western Europe (Germany and vicinity), spreading eastwards; other emerged in the Wallachian area, spreading to the west and south. In addition, many regional and local isoglosses formed, creating a complex wave of language boundaries. Matras points to the prothesis of ''{{lang|rom|j-}}'' in ''{{lang|rom|aro}}'' > ''{{lang|rom|jaro}}'' 'egg' and ''{{lang|rom|ov}}'' > ''{{lang|rom|jov}}'' 'he' as typical examples of west-to-east diffusion, and of addition of prothetic ''{{lang|rom|a-}}'' in ''{{lang|rom|bijav}}'' > ''{{lang|rom|abijav}}'' as a typical east-to-west spread. His conclusion is that dialect differences formed in situ, and not as a result of different waves of migration.<ref>Norbert Boretzky: Kommentierter Dialektatlas des Romani. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz, 2004 p. 18–26</ref>

According to this classification, the dialects are split as follows:
* [[Northern Romani dialects]] in western and northern Europe, southern Italy and the Iberian peninsula<ref name="matras_proceedings">{{cite journal |last1=Matras |first1=Yason |year=2005 |title=The classification of Romani dialects: A geographic-historical perspective |journal=General and Applied Romani Linguistics - Proceeding from the 6th International Conference on Romani Linguistics |publisher=LINCOM |url=http://languagecontact.humanities.manchester.ac.uk/YM/downloads/Matras,%20Y.%20(2005)%20The%20classification%20of%20Romani%20dialects.pdf |editor1-first=Barbara |editor1-last=Schrammel |editor2-first=Dieter W. |editor2-last=Halwachs |editor3-first=Gerd |editor3-last=Ambrosch |access-date=14 September 2013 |archive-date=21 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921134453/http://languagecontact.humanities.manchester.ac.uk/YM/downloads/Matras,%20Y.%20(2005)%20The%20classification%20of%20Romani%20dialects.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>
* [[Central Romani dialects]] from southern [[Poland]], [[Slovakia]], [[Hungary]], [[Carpathian Ruthenia]] and southeastern [[Austria]]<ref name="matras_proceedings"/>
* [[Balkan Romani|Balkan Romani dialects]], including the Black Sea coast dialects<ref name="matras_proceedings"/>
* [[Vlax Romani language|Vlax Romani dialects]], chiefly associated with the historical Wallachian and Transylvanian regions, with outmigrants in various regions throughout Europe and beyond<ref name="matras_proceedings"/>

[[SIL Ethnologue]] has the following classification:
{{tree list}}
* Romani
** [[Balkan Romani]]
*** Arlija
*** Dzambazi
*** Tinners Romani
** [[Northern Romani dialects|Northern Romani]]
*** [[Baltic Romani]]
**** Estonian Romani
**** Latvian Romani (Lettish Romani)
**** North Russian Romani
**** Polish Romani
**** White Russian Romani
*** [[Carpathian Romani]] (Central Romani)
**** East Slovak Romani
**** Moravian Romani
**** West Slovak Romani
*** [[Finnish Kalo language|Finnish Kalo Romani]]
*** [[Sinte Romani]]
**** Abbruzzesi
**** Serbian Romani
**** Slovenian-Croatian Romani
*** [[Welsh-Romani language|Welsh Romani]]
** [[Vlax Romani language|Vlax Romani]]
*** Churari (Churarícko, Sievemakers)
*** Eastern Vlax Romani (Bisa)
*** Ghagar
*** Grekurja (Greco)
*** [[Kalderash Romani language|Kalderash]] (Coppersmith, Kelderashícko)
*** Lovari (Lovarícko)
*** Machvano (Machvanmcko)
*** North Albanian Romani
*** Sedentary Bulgaria Romani
*** Sedentary Romania Romani
*** Serbo-Bosnian Romani
*** South Albanian Romani
*** Ukraine-Moldavia Romani
*** Zagundzi
{{tree list/end}}

In a series of articles (beginning in 1982) linguist [[Marcel Courthiade]]  proposed a different kind of classification. He concentrates on the dialectal diversity of Romani in three successive strata of expansion, using the criteria of phonological and grammatical changes. Finding the common linguistic features of the dialects, he presents the historical evolution from the first stratum (the dialects closest to the Anatolian Romani of the 13th century) to the second and third strata. He also names as "pogadialects" (after the ''{{lang|rom|[[Pogadi]]}}'' dialect of [[Great Britain]]) those with only a Romani vocabulary grafted into a non-Romani language (normally referred to as [[Para-Romani]]).

A table of some dialectal differences:
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! First stratum
! Second stratum
! Third stratum
|-
| {{lang|rom|phirdom, phirdyom}}<br />{{lang|rom|phirdyum, phirjum}}
| {{lang|rom|phirdem}}
| {{lang|rom|phirdem}}
|-
| {{lang|rom|guglipe(n)/guglipa}}<br />{{lang|rom|guglibe(n)/gugliba}}
| {{lang|rom|guglipe(n)/guglipa}}<br />{{lang|rom|guglibe(n)/gugliba}}
| {{lang|rom|guglimos}}
|-
| {{lang|rom|pani}}<br />{{lang|rom|khoni}}<br /><br />{{lang|rom|kuni}}
| {{lang|rom|pai, payi}}<br />{{lang|rom|khoi, khoyi}}<br /><br />{{lang|rom|kui, kuyi}}
| {{lang|rom|pai, payi}}<br />{{lang|rom|khoi, khoyi}}<br /><br />{{lang|rom|kui, kuyi}}
|-
| {{lang|rom|ćhib}}
| {{lang|rom|shib}}
| {{lang|rom|shib}}
|-
| {{lang|rom|jeno}}
| {{lang|rom|zheno}}
| {{lang|rom|zheno}}
|-
| {{lang|rom|po}}
| {{lang|rom|po/mai}}
| {{lang|rom|mai}}
|}

The first stratum includes the oldest dialects: ''{{lang|rom|Mećkari}}'' (of [[Tirana]]), ''{{lang|rom|Kabuʒi}}'' (of [[Korça]]), ''{{lang|rom|Xanduri}}'', ''{{lang|rom|Drindari}}'', ''{{lang|rom|Erli}}'', ''{{lang|rom|Arli}}'', ''{{lang|rom|Bugurji}}'', ''{{lang|rom|Mahaʒeri}}'' (of [[Pristina]]), ''{{lang|rom|Ursari}}'' (''{{lang|rom|Rićhinari}}''), ''{{lang|rom|Spoitori}}'' (''{{lang|rom|[[Xoraxane]]}}''), ''{{lang|rom|Karpatichi}}'', ''{{lang|pl|Polska Roma}}'', ''{{lang|fi|Kaale}}'' (from [[Finland]]), ''{{lang|rom|Sinto-manush}}'', and the so-called ''[[Baltic countries|Baltic]] dialects''.

In the second there are ''{{lang|rom|Ćergari}}'' (of [[Podgorica]]), ''{{lang|rom|Gurbeti}}'', ''{{lang|rom|Jambashi}}'', ''{{lang|rom|Fichiri}}'', ''{{lang|rom|Filipiʒi}}'' (of [[Agia Varvara]])

The third comprises the rest of the Romani dialects, including ''{{lang|rom|Kalderash}}'', ''{{lang|rom|Lovari}}'', ''{{lang|rom|Machvano}}''.

===Mixed languages===
{{Main|Para-Romani}}
Some Roma have developed [[mixed language]]s (chiefly by retaining Romani [[lexical item]]s and adopting second language grammatical structures), including:
* in [[Northern Europe]]
** [[Angloromani language|Angloromani]] (in England)
** [[Scottish Cant]] (in Lowland Scotland)
** [[Scandoromani language|Scandoromani]] (in Norway & Sweden)
* in the [[Iberian Peninsula]], [[Italy]] and [[France]]:
** [[Erromintxela language|Erromintxela]] (in the [[Basque Country (greater region)|Basque Country]])
** [[Caló language|Caló]] (in [[Portugal]], [[Brazil]] and [[Spain]]).<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.brasildefato.com.br/2021/10/07/ciganos-no-brasil-uma-historia-de-multiplas-discriminacoes-invisibilidade-e-odio | title=Coluna &#124; Ciganos no Brasil: Uma história de múltiplas discriminações, invisibilidade e ódio | date=7 October 2021 }}</ref>
** [[Sinti-Manouche|Manouche]] (a variant of Sinte Romani in France and its Mediterranean borders from Spain to Italy)
* in [[Southeast Europe]]
** [[Romano-Greek language|Romano-Greek]]
** [[Romano-Serbian language|Romano-Serbian]]
* in the Caucasus ([[Armenia]])
** [[Lomavren language|Lomavren]]