Roˈmansh, n. and a.
Forms: α. 8 Romaun(t)sh, 8– Romansh, -sch(e, 9 Romanesh, Romonsch, Romuntch, 9– Romantsch. β. 8 Rumaunsch, 9 Roumansch, Rumansch, Rumansh, Rumonsh, -sch(e, -tsch.
[a. the native name Rum-, Roman(t)sch, -on(t)sch, etc.:—pop. L. Romanice adv.: see romance n.]
a. The language, of Latin origin, spoken in the Grisons or eastern district of Switzerland.
Sometimes restricted to the dialects of the north-western part, those of the Engadine being called Ladin. Cf. Rhæto-Romance. Also used of other Rhæto-Romance dialects and of this group of dialects as a whole.
| α 1663 P. Skippon Journ. Low C. in Churchill's Voy. (1732) VI. 696/1 The Engadine, where all the inhabitants..speak an odd language, called Romauntsh. 1775 Phil. Trans. LXVI. 129 This language is called Romansh, and is now spoken in the most mountainous parts of the country of the Grisons. 1789 Coxe Trav. Switzerland III. 307 Titles of Earliest Books, and of the Bibles printed in the Romansh. 1802 Pinkerton Mod. Geogr. I. 573 Among the Grisons in Engadin, and in some other parts, is spoken what is called the Romansh. 1842 Penny Cycl. XXIII. 423/1 One-half of the population of the Grisons speak the Romuntch and Ladin. 1872 Dixon Switzers 58 In Graubunden..nearly nine thousand families speak Romonsch. 1946 Archit. Rev. C. 58/1 It is for us a matter of course that the Alemanic part of the country would speak German, the French Swiss part French,..and the Rhaetian districts Romansch, that, for instance, the Grisons, which comprise districts speaking German, Italian and Romansch, should publish their decrees in all three languages. 1969 Language XLV. 185 To counter Italian nationalist claims, Romansh was officially established as the fourth national language of Switzerland in 1939. 1971 Language XLVII. 797 (heading) Targets and paradigmatic borrowing in Romantsch. |
| Comb. 1887 Encycl. Brit. XXII. 781/1 The Romansch-speaking Leagues of Rhætia. |
| β 1789 Coxe Trav. Switz. III. 282 note, It is called by the natives Arumansh, Rumaunsch, Romansch, Lingua Romanscha. 1825 Encycl. Metrop. (1845) XVII. 769/1 It..is subdivided into two branches; the Rumonsche, spoken near the sources of the Rhine, and the Ladinsche near those of the Inn. 1841 Penny Cycl. XX. 83/1 The Rumonsch is a written language, and books have been published in it. 1875 Whitney Life of Lang. x. 184 Certain dialects of southern Switzerland are enough unlike Italian to be ordinarily ranked as an independent tongue, under the name of Rhæto-Romanic, or Rumansh. 1970 Times Lit. Suppl. 8 Jan. 40/2 He is fully conversant with the five national tongues—French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and Rumanian—and with their five regional varieties—Occitanian or Provencal..Catalan..Dalmatian..Rumansch or Rhaetian (now strictly West Rhaetian, for that alone has evolved a recognized written language), and Sardinian. |
b. attrib. or as adj. In
quot. 1920 referring to an ethnic group.
| 1663 P. Skippon Journ. Low C. in Churchill's Voy. (1732) VI. 696/1 The Lord's prayer in the Romauntsh language. 1775 Phil. Trans. LXVI. 129 An Account of the Romansh Language. 1828 Encycl. Metrop. (1845) XIX. 756/2 The most complete account of the Romansh language is that from the pen of Mr. Planta. 1880 [see Ladin]. 1920 Q. Rev. Apr. 443 Its population is not of German, but of Allemanic race, the only exception being that part which is of Romantsch origin. 1969 [see Rhæto-Romance]. |