ProtoRomani

ProtoRomani refers to the hypothetical ancestral language of the Romani people, a group of Indo-Aryan speakers who migrated from the northwestern Indian subcontinent to Europe between the 9th and 11th centuries. The exact origins of ProtoRomani remain debated among linguists, but it is generally considered to be a dialect of the Indo-Aryan language family, closely related to languages spoken in the Punjab region of modern-day Pakistan and India.

The Romani language, as spoken today, exhibits significant lexical and grammatical similarities with Old Punjabi and other Indo-Aryan languages, particularly in its early stages. Words for common objects, such as "house" (*gav*), "water" (*pani*), and "fire" (*agni*), show clear cognates with Sanskrit and other Indo-Aryan languages. However, Romani also incorporates numerous loanwords from Slavic, Greek, and other European languages due to centuries of contact with non-Indo-Aryan populations.

The earliest written records of Romani date to the 16th century, but its linguistic evolution can be traced back through historical and comparative analysis. ProtoRomani likely underwent significant changes during its migration from India to Europe, influenced by the linguistic environments it encountered along the way. The Romani diaspora spread across Europe, leading to regional variations such as Balkan Romani, Eastern Romani, and Western Romani, each with distinct dialects.

Linguistic studies suggest that ProtoRomani retained some archaic features of Indo-Aryan, such as a preserved dual number and certain grammatical cases, while adapting to new phonetic and syntactic patterns. The language’s development reflects both its historical roots and its dynamic interaction with surrounding cultures. Despite its complex history, Romani remains a vital part of Romani cultural identity, with ongoing efforts to preserve and revitalize the language.