Istro-Rumanian

According to certain linguists, the istro-Rumanian is a language with share which belongs to the Eastern group Romance languages, just as the Rumanian , the Aroumain and the Mégléno-Rumanian. Other linguists consider that it is only one dialect of Rumanian, beside the dialects Daco-Rumanian, aroumain and mégléno-Rumanian.

Istro-Rumanian is spoken in some villages about the peninsula about Istrie, in the north of the Adriatic Sea, in Croatia, by a population which indicates itself like Vlaşi (Wallachian) or Rumâni/Rumâri (Rumanian) but is called Ćiribirci or Ćići by the Croatian , and Istro-Rumanian or Valaques of Istrie by the linguists.

The number of speakers of this language is estimated with the neighborhoods from 500 to 1000 people, this is why it is quoted in the Red book of the languages in danger of extinction of UNESCO like: “in serious danger”. Because of the extremely reduced number of people who know it and who live in eight villages (in particular Žejane and Šušnjevica), it does not profit from any public education and does not have any written press. Its speakers are not even recognized as a minority by Croatia.

History

Istro-Rumanian is the last to be itself separate Proto-Rumanian. It is supposed that Istro-Rumanian was established in Istrie as of the XIIe century, since certain Radul (Rumanian first name) is mentioned as a prince d' Istrie. However, the first documentary certificates of this population go back to 1329, when Serb chronicles speak about Wallachians living in this area. That suggests that Istro-Rumanian would live Istrie since the XIVe century or even front. It is supposed that they are originating in the basin of the Carpates. Certain linguists think that they started from Transylvania or of Serbia there is nearly 1000 years.

The first certificates of the istro-Rumanian language are a list of syntagms and two sentences (of the wishes) translated into Latin or Italian, noted in a work of history on Trieste published by F. Irineo della Croce with Venice, in 1698. The following ones appear only at the beginning of the XIXe century (of small isolated texts). Important collections of literary texts folk (Tale S, Anecdote S, Proverb S, Poem S) appear starting from the end of the XIXe century. The only nonfolk work is a Almanach with texts translated from Rumanian and influenced by this one.

Between the First and the Second world war, there were some transitory attempts to create a teaching in Rumanian standard.

The majority of Istro-Rumanian were constrained to leave Istrie little time after the Second world war, following the occupation of the area by the Yugoslav capacity . Their number was also reduced because of assimilation by surrounding nationalities.

Regional varieties

Istro-Rumanian comprises two speeches:

speech of Jeiăn (in Croatian Žejane), in this only village, where currently 140 Istro-Rumanian live.
speech of the valley Raša on the southern slope of the mountains Učka Gora, to some 80 km in the south of Žejane, in the villages Susńeviţe or Şuşńeviţe (in Croatian Šušnjevica), Noselo or Nosela (Nova Go), Bârda (Brdo), Sucodru (Jesenovik) and in some other localities with less than ten istro-Rumanian families each one.

Characteristics of istro-Rumanian compared to Rumanian

C-W communication and phonology

To write istro-Rumanian one adopted the Rumanian alphabet, including the letters I and â used for etymological reasons but returning the same sound. There are however three letters moreover, to make sounds specific to istro-Rumanian:

å - pronounced about, as in English “ wa for the third time”
the - - L wet, about as in French “mi' li' have”
ń - - as in “a' gn' water”

Generally, the phonology of istro-Rumanian is not very different from that of Rumanian. Some characteristics:

Morphology

The morphological characteristics of istro-Rumanian are mainly indebted with the influence of the Croatian .

The noun, the adjective and the adverb

The opposition name to Definite article - name with Indefinite article tends to weaken, the definite article being also used where normally one would use the indefinite article. Thus, furåt-a åc' U corresponds in Rumanian to has furat ac ul (“il/elle stole the needle”), but also with furat un' ac has (“il/elle a needle flew”).

Under the influence of Croatian, the neutral of the adjectives can be used as a Adverbe .

The verb

Istro-Rumanian borrowed from Croatian the grammatical category of the verbal Aspect , absent from Rumanian. The aspects are expressed by:

of the Prefix S: C , iz- , Na , S , za- which return the verbs of perfective aspect
of the suffix S which make the verb iterative: Be (imperfectif) - bivei (iterative) = “to drink”
different words with the aspects imperfectif and perfective: mâncå (imperfectif) - poidi (perfective, borrowed from Croatian) = “to eat”

Compared to the four classes of Conjugation of Rumanian, istro-Rumanian in has one or three (divergent opinions) moreover for the loans and the Néologisme S.

Among the time of the indicative , istro-Rumanian lost the Preterit and the Plus-que-parfait, and partially the Imparfait. This one is differently formed of Rumanian, starting from infinitive, the endings being added using semivoyelle the I : rugåiam , Rumanian rugam (“I requested”).

With the present indicative, the Termination S in - m of Rumanian correspond to - N in istro-Rumanian: avzin , Rumanian auzim (“we hear”).

Second person plural of the present indicative and imperfect is in - T in the place of - ţi : rugåiat , Rumanian rugaţi (“you requested” - imperfect)

At the made up Last , the auxiliary is placed after the verb: rugåt-amndts , Rumanian amndt rugat (“I requested”).

The Subjonctif present is identical to all the people with the present indicative, generally building with the borrowed Conjonction neca , Rumanian (Ca) să (“that”). On the other hand, the last subjunctive disappeared.

The Conditionnel has also a future time, in addition to the present and past.

Compared to Rumanian, who has two forms of Infinitif (long, that of Latin, with face value, and short, with verbal value), istro-Rumanian has only the short form, with many verbal values, including different from those of Rumanian infinitive. Example: åflu festival durmi , Rumanian O găsesc EP fată dormi' Nd (“they/they find the girl deadened”).

The Gérondif with the termination - ănd + - has : cântănda , Rumanian cântând (“while singing”).

The word order

In general, the word order is very free: of cărbun lemnu IE bur såkile , Rumanian pentru cărbuni E bun orice lemn (“any wood is good for coal”)

Istro-Rumanian prefers to place the possessive adjective and conclusive, as well as the qualifying adjective in front of the given name: ţâsta musåte festival , această fată frumoasă (“this beautiful girl”).

Lexicon

The words inherited Latin are relatively very few, but very frequent. On the other hand, istro-Rumanian is, of all the Eastern Romance languages, most permeable with the loans. Most come from Croatian, but there are also Italian words and German S.

The derivation is weak. To note the prefix LMBO-/rez : rez legå corresponding to Rumanian of-/dez the : has dez lega (“to untie”).

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