Westromänisch

Westromänisch is a term sometimes used to refer to the group of Romance languages and dialects spoken west of the historical extent of Daco-Romanian. This umbrella term can encompass a variety of linguistic varieties, though its usage is not as standardized or widely adopted as terms like Italian, Spanish, or French. Historically, the term has been employed to distinguish these languages from the East Romance languages, primarily Daco-Romanian and its close relatives (Moldavian and Wallachian).

The languages typically included under the Westromänisch umbrella are those that developed from Vulgar Latin in the Western Roman Empire and its successor states. This includes the Romance languages of Italy, the Iberian Peninsula (Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, Galician), the Gallo-Romance languages (French, Occitan, Romansh, Walloon), and the Rhaeto-Romance languages. The precise boundaries and classification of these languages can be complex, with dialectal continuums and historical linguistic shifts playing a significant role. Understanding Westromänisch involves recognizing the shared ancestry and evolution from Latin, while also acknowledging the distinct national and regional developments that have shaped each individual language. The study of these languages often focuses on shared innovations and divergences from the common Latin source.