Retentions of Indo-Aryan grammatical elements in Norwegian Para-Romani
Journal name: Acta Orientalia
Original article title: Retentions of Indo-Aryan grammatical elements in Norwegian Para-Romani
ACTA ORIENTALIA is a journal focused on the study of Oriental languages, history, archaeology, and religions from ancient times to the present. The journal includes articles reviewed by a senior scholar in the relevant field.
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Subtitle: The pronominal system
Original source:
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Guro Fløgstad
Acta Orientalia:
(Founded in 1922 and published annually)
Full text available for: Retentions of Indo-Aryan grammatical elements in Norwegian Para-Romani
Year: 2008 | Doi: 10.5617/ao.7368
Copyright (license): CC BY 4.0
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Summary of article contents:
1. Introduction
This article by Guro Flogstad focuses on the pronominal system in Norwegian Para-Romani, a mixed language that retains aspects of the original Indo-Aryan grammar within a predominantly Norwegian linguistic framework. Flogstad highlights how, despite the replacement of much of the original Romani grammar, certain pronominal forms have survived, representing one of the few remnants of Indic elements in Norwegian Para-Romani. The article is divided into three parts: an introduction to Para-Romani, a detailed description of the pronominal system, and an analysis of the semantic-diachronic context of these pronouns.
2. The Nature of Para-Romani
Para-Romani varieties emerge from the contexts in which the Romani-speaking communities have integrated into surrounding majority cultures, leading to the loss of original grammatical structures while retaining a portion of the original vocabulary. Flogstad distinguishes between Romani, the original Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Roma, and Para-Romani, which has evolved under the influence of various majority languages, such as Norwegian. In Para-Romani, although elements of original Romani grammar, morphology, and syntax have been mostly replaced, some components—particularly in the pronominal system—continue to reflect their Indic roots.
3. The Pronominal System
The pronominal system of Norwegian Para-Romani is noteworthy for its reliance on possessive pronouns as the basis for personal pronouns. Flogstad outlines how first and second person singular pronouns derive from possessive forms, while the third person singular relies on a demonstrative. This adaptation results in a unique pronominal framework that does not adhere strictly to the inflectional structures typically observed in related languages. The research reveals that the plural forms, such as those for first and second persons, are less frequently retained than singular forms, illustrating a preference for simplicity and personal relevance in pronominal usage.
4. The Semantic and Diachronic Context
Flogstad discusses the semantic evolution of pronouns, noting that demonstratives often transition into person markers, particularly for the third person, due to their anaphoric functions. However, the article raises questions about the unconventional sourcing of first and second person markers from possessive forms, as well as the absence of third person plural forms in the preserved linguistic structure. The research also suggests that the patterns of pronoun retention may reflect deeper historical and sociolinguistic processes within the Indo-Aryan languages, raising the possibility of a connection to archaic linguistic features that once existed in Romani before it evolved into Para-Romani.
5. Conclusion
In conclusion, the exploration of the pronominal system in Norwegian Para-Romani reveals a complex interplay between preservation and adaptation as the language has emerged from significant cultural contact. Flogstad's analysis emphasizes the distinct retention of personal pronouns while positing broader implications for understanding linguistic change in contact situations. The study ultimately calls for further examination of grammatical retention in mixed languages, highlighting the need to unravel the intricate histories that influence the development of such language varieties and their grammatical systems.
FAQ section (important questions/answers):
What is the focus of Guro Flogstad's article?
The article examines the personal pronouns in Norwegian Para-Romani, exploring how they retain Indo-Aryan grammatical elements while being influenced by Norwegian grammar and syntax.
What distinguishes Romani from Para-Romani varieties?
Romani is the original language of the Roma speakers, while Para-Romani varieties have arisen where Romani has been influenced by majority languages, resulting in a mix of vocabulary but a replacement of grammar and syntax.
What is the pronominal system like in Norwegian Para-Romani?
The pronominal system retains some original Indo-Aryan features, with singular first and second person pronouns originating from possessive forms, while the third person employs a demonstrative form.
Who are the Travellers discussed in the article?
The Travellers, or tatere, are a community in Norway descended from Roma immigrants, largely integrated into Norwegian society but still using Para-Romani within their community.
What challenges exist in researching Norwegian Para-Romani?
Researching Para-Romani is challenging due to its secretive nature and cultural sensitivity, making spontaneous data collection difficult and resulting in limited knowledge of its functional use.
Why are case-inflected pronouns significant in Norwegian Para-Romani?
Case-inflected pronouns serve as default person markers in Norwegian Para-Romani, revealing a unique adaptation in mixed language contexts where grammatical elements shift due to language contact.
Glossary definitions and references:
Oriental and Historical glossary list for “Retentions of Indo-Aryan grammatical elements in Norwegian Para-Romani”. This list explains important keywords that occur in this article and links it to the glossary for a better understanding of that concept in the context of History, Linguistics, Religion, Philosophy, Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism etc.
1) Romani:
Romani refers to the language originally spoken by the Roma, which belongs to the central branch of the Indo-Aryan languages. In the context of this article, Romani undergoes changes and becomes Para-Romani, maintaining parts of its vocabulary while adopting the surrounding majority language's grammar.
2) Language:
Language in this context refers to Norwegian Para-Romani, a variety where Romani's original grammar is replaced by Norwegian syntax, morphology, and phonology. The article focuses on how specific linguistic elements, notably pronouns, are retained in Norwegian Para-Romani.
3) Matra:
[see source text or glossary: Matra]
4) Aryan:
Aryan refers to the family of languages from which Romani descended. Specifically, Romani is identified as an Indo-Aryan language originating from north-western India. This classification is critical for understanding the historical and linguistic development discussed in the article.
5) Retention:
Retention in the article points to the phenomenon where certain grammatical elements from the original Romani language are maintained in the Norwegian Para-Romani. One notable retained element is the pronominal system, although most grammatical structures have been adapted to Norwegian norms.
6) Roman (Roma):
Roma designates the ethnic group originally from north-western India who speak Romani. Their migration to Europe set the stage for the development of various Romani and Para-Romani languages as discussed in the article, highlighting the linguistic and cultural journey described in the literature.
7) Knowledge:
[see source text or glossary: Knowledge]
8) Nature:
The nature of the pronominal retention in Norwegian Para-Romani is particularly complex, exhibiting a blend of original Indic elements and the dominant Norwegian influence. This characteristic shapes the language's functional profile and its role in identity and secret communication among Travellers.
9) Tongue:
In the article, tongue refers to the mother tongue or primary language spoken by the Norwegian Travellers. While Norwegian is their main language, they also speak Norwegian Para-Romani, which preserves some elements of the original Romani but largely adopts Norwegian grammar and syntax.
10) Secret (Secrecy, Secretly):
Secret refers to one of the main functions of the Norwegian Para-Romani language; it serves as a means of secretive communication among Travellers. The language maintains some Romani elements partly to keep their conversations private and to strengthen internal identity.
11) Discussion:
Discussion in this article encompasses the exploration of the pronominal system in Norwegian Para-Romani, addressing its origins, changes over time, and the theoretical frameworks that explain these linguistic phenomena. It also covers the semantic and functional aspects underpinning the retained elements.
12) Literature:
Literature in the article refers to the body of scholarly work around Romani and Para-Romani languages. It includes studies by researchers like Matras and others, providing a foundation for the current analysis of the pronominal systems and their historical and functional roles.
13) Grammar:
Grammar in Norwegian Para-Romani has largely been replaced by Norwegian grammatical rules, except for the pronominal system. The retention of the original Romani pronouns is an exception in a linguistic environment dominated by Norwegian syntax, morphology, and phonology.
14) Speech:
Speech in this context refers to the use of Norwegian Para-Romani among Travellers. The alterations in the language, including the retention of specific pronouns, serve to create an 'emotive mood' which is an essential feature distinguishing it from ordinary Norwegian speech.
15) Frame:
Frame refers to the structural context within which Norwegian Para-Romani operates. When Romani grammatical structures are embedded within Norwegian syntax and morphology, the 'frame' of the language shifts, albeit maintaining some original elements, allowing a study of diachronic semantic changes.
16) Mud:
Mood refers to the 'emotive mood' mentioned by Matras, which is produced by using Norwegian Para-Romani. This mood helps in creating a sense of exclusiveness and identity among its speakers, distinguishing them from the bystanders not privy to the language.
17) Branch (Branches):
Branch is used to describe the different dialectal groups within the Romani language family. Norwegian Para-Romani is part of this extensive family tree, showcasing particular evolutionary changes due to contact with the Norwegian language and culture.
18) Identity:
Identity is a key reason for the retention of certain Romani elements in Norwegian Para-Romani. The language serves as a marker of ethnic and community identity for Travellers, reinforcing their distinct cultural and social presence within the Norwegian majority.
19) Lexicon:
Lexicon in the article pertains to the vocabulary of Norwegian Para-Romani, which retains certain original Indo-Aryan elements. The pronominal system, a significant part of the grammatical lexicon, particularly showcases this retention amid the dominance of Norwegian grammar.
20) Food:
Food appears in a sample sentence illustrating Norwegian Para-Romani syntax. The example sentence shows the insertion of Romani for nouns like 'food' while maintaining Norwegian morphological patterns, demonstrating the mixed linguistic nature of Para-Romani.
21) Western India:
Western India is the original homeland of the Roma people, from where they migrated to Europe roughly a thousand years ago. Understanding this migration is crucial for tracing the origin and evolution of the Romani and Para-Romani languages, including Norwegian Para-Romani.
22) Communication (Communicate, Communicated, Communicating):
Communication using Norwegian Para-Romani involves a special functional profile where some original Romani elements are retained primarily for secretive and identity-flagging purposes. This ensures that the language serves specific intracommunity communication needs while remaining unintelligible to outsiders.
23) Recollection:
[see source text or glossary: Recollection]
24) Linguistics:
Linguistics is the field in which the study of Norwegian Para-Romani is conducted. The article uses linguistic principles to analyze the pronominal system, historical developments, and functional aspects of this mixed language, contributing to the broader understanding of language contact and evolution.
25) Possession:
Possession refers to the grammatical category from which the 1SG and 2SG pronouns in Norwegian Para-Romani are derived. The original possessive pronouns have evolved to serve as default personal pronouns, showcasing an interesting case of linguistic retention.
26) Happiness:
Happiness appears in the discussion of a derivational word formation pattern that remains productive in Norwegian Para-Romani. For example, the word 'losjano' ('happy') can be transformed into 'losj-epa' ('happiness'), highlighting retained linguistic productivity in word formation.
27) Existence:
Existence in the context of Norwegian Para-Romani refers to the ongoing use and functional role of preserved elements such as pronominal systems and derivational patterns. Despite extensive grammatical borrowing, certain aspects of the original language persist, maintaining its unique identity.
28) Confusion (Confused):
Confusion is mentioned regarding the distinction between tatere (Travellers) and sigoynere (Gypsies) in Norway. The article clarifies these distinctions and their corresponding languages, emphasizing the separate identity and linguistic features of the Traveller community.
29) Creation:
Creation in the article refers to the formation and evolution of Norwegian Para-Romani. As Romani speakers assimilated into Norwegian society, they created this mixed language, preserving certain elements of their original tongue while adopting Norwegian grammatical structures.
30) Richness:
Richness refers to the productive pattern of deriving nouns in Norwegian Para-Romani. For example, the adjective 'barvalo' ('rich') can be turned into 'barvalepa' ('richness') using the suffix -epa, showing how derivational processes remain active in the language.
31) Child (Children):
Children of the Norwegian Travellers were sometimes abducted by the government as part of a broader historical context of harassment. This forced assimilation has impacted the linguistic retention and the overall use of the Para-Romani language among Travellers.
32) Dialect:
Dialect in this context refers to the various forms of Romani and Para-Romani languages spoken by Traveller communities. Norwegian Para-Romani is considered a dialect that has adapted heavily to Norwegian grammatical structures while retaining some original Romani vocabulary.
33) Extreme:
Extreme refers to the intense language contact situations that led to the creation of Para-Romani languages. The extreme level of integration and assimilation with majority languages resulted in the loss of original grammatical structures while retaining some essential elements.
34) Debate:
Debate refers to the scholarly discussions around the classification and nature of Para-Romani languages. Various terms like mixed languages, bilingual mixtures, and Creole languages have been proposed, each highlighting different aspects of these unique linguistic phenomena.
35) Future:
Future studies are needed to further understand the pronominal system and other retained elements in Para-Romani. The article suggests that more research could illuminate why certain case inflected pronouns are retained and the semantic processes involved in these changes.
36) Mandi (Mamdi):
Mandi is an example of a 1SG pronoun in Angloromani derived from the locative form. This showcases the diversity in pronoun retention across different Para-Romani varieties, highlighting how they draw from various case-inflected forms for their pronominal systems.
37) India:
India refers to the ancestral homeland of the Roma people, who originated in north-western India. This historical origin is key to understanding the linguistic roots of Romani and its subsequent transformations into various Para-Romani languages discussed in the article.
38) Light:
[see source text or glossary: Light]
39) Anna:
[see source text or glossary: Anna]
40) Tusha (Tusa):
Tusa is an example of a 2SG pronoun in Spanish Para-Romani (Caló), derived from an instrumental form. It illustrates how different Para-Romani varieties retain specific case forms as their default pronouns, emphasizing the linguistic diversity within this language family.
41) Tuti:
Tuti is an example of a 2SG pronoun in Angloromani, derived from the locative case. This supports the article’s discussion of how different case inflected pronouns are retained in various Para-Romani dialects, each adopting unique forms for personal pronouns.
42) Moja:
Moja is an example from Russenorsk, an extinct pidgin, where the Russian possessive 'moja' ('mine') is used as a default 1SG pronoun. The use of possessives as personal pronouns in pidgins supports parallels with similar phenomena in Para-Romani languages.
43) Guri:
[see source text or glossary: Guri]
44) Lead:
Lead is used metaphorically to describe the role of Para-Romani pronouns evolving from case inflected forms. The article leads us through the historical, semantic, and functional aspects of this evolution, providing insights into the pronominal systems of Norwegian Para-Romani.