Romansh is a member of the Rhaeto-Romance language family, spoken primarily in the southeastern part of Switzerland, particularly in the canton of Graubünden. It is one of the four national languages of Switzerland, alongside German, French, and Italian. Romansh, also known as Romansch or Rumantsch, has a population of speakers estimated to be around 50,000.
The Romansh language exhibits significant features derived from Latin, as it is descended from the Vulgar Latin spoken by the Roman Empire during its presence in the region around 15 BCE. Romansh consists of five major dialect groups: Sursilvan, Sutsilvan, Surmiran, Puter, and Vallader, each of which has its own unique characteristics, though they remain mutually intelligible.
The vocabulary and grammar of Romansh differ considerably from those of other Romance languages, such as Italian or French. Unlike its sister languages, Romansh has preserved numerous features of Vulgar Latin, such as declensions and conjugations. Its unique phonetic system includes nasalized vowels and sounds that are not commonly found in other Romance languages.
Although Romansh has been recognized as one of Switzerland's official languages, it faces challenges due to its small number of speakers and the dominance of other languages within the country. However, concerted efforts have been made to promote and preserve the language, including the establishment of schools, newspapers, and radio programs in Romansh.
