WIA LANGUAGES PROJECT

[Day 28/221]

Rumantsch

Romansh | Rhaeto-Romance

“A Two-Thousand-Year Whisper Through Alpine Valleys”

A quiet revolution, 221 languages’ digital archive • We’re not saving languages. We’re preserving memory digitally, forever.

“Il sulegl dat la clardat, la glüna dat la sdumbrida“
[eel soo-LEGL daht lah clahr-DAHT, lah GLEW-nah daht lah SDOOM-bree-dah]
“The sun gives brightness, the moon gives shadow”

This is an ancient proverb in Romansh, a language that has survived for two millennia in the deep valleys of the Swiss Alps. Like the sun and moon in perfect balance, this language has witnessed the rise and fall of empires, yet continues to speak of mountain wisdom and Alpine truths.

Every 14 days, a language falls silent forever. Today, however, we meet a language that refuses that fate. Romansh—Switzerland’s fourth national language and the last living breath of the Roman Empire in the Alps—is still spoken by 40,000 people who love, sing, and dream in this ancient tongue.

Today marks Day 28 of our 221-language journey. Join us as we enter the world of Romansh, where Alpine winds carry echoes of ancient Rome, and where digital preservation meets two thousand years of linguistic survival.

Songs of Lost Time

In 15 BCE, Roman legions conquered the region of Raetia, bringing Vulgar Latin to what is now southeastern Switzerland. The Celtic and Raetic peoples gradually adopted the conquerors’ language, and over centuries, this Latin evolved into something unique—isolated and protected by the towering Alps that surrounded it.

Romansh belongs to the Rhaeto-Romance branch of Romance languages, which also includes Ladin and Friulian spoken in northern Italy. These languages share certain features that distinguish them from other Romance languages: they retained Latin consonant clusters (like ‘cl’ and ‘pl’), developed sigmatic plurals, and underwent unique phonological changes. Yet among them, Romansh stands apart, shaped profoundly by centuries of contact with German.

When the Western Roman Empire collapsed in the 5th century, this language survived. The rugged mountain terrain and deep valleys created natural barriers, cutting communities off from the outside world. Paradoxically, this isolation became the language’s preservation. Each valley developed its own variety, giving birth to five distinct dialects we know today: Sursilvan, Sutsilvan, Surmiran, Puter, and Vallader.

The story darkened in the 16th century when German began its inexorable advance. Chur, the capital of Graubünden canton, became German-speaking after a devastating fire in the 15th century brought German workers who never left. The 19th-century industrialization and tourism boom further pressured Romansh communities. Speakers who once comprised 1.1% of Switzerland’s population in 1910 dwindled to just 0.5% today.

Then came 1938—a pivotal moment. As Mussolini’s Italy laid claim to the region, Switzerland held a referendum. With an overwhelming 91.6% approval, Swiss citizens recognized Romansh as the nation’s fourth official language alongside German, French, and Italian. This wasn’t merely linguistic preservation—it was a defense of freedom and identity against fascist territorial claims. The vote declared: these valleys, this language, this people are Swiss, and they will remain so.

Between Hope and Despair

As of 2025, approximately 40,000 to 44,000 people speak Romansh—less than 0.5% of Switzerland’s population. Most live in the Engadin valley and Surselva region of Graubünden canton. But statistics alone cannot capture the full picture of this language’s precarious position.

One in five Romansh speakers is over 65. Only 12% are under 20. Meanwhile, 70% of Graubünden residents use German in daily life. Many young people leave for education and career opportunities in Zürich or Bern—an estimated 38% of native Romansh speakers now live outside their homeland. The linguistic center itself, Chur, has been German-speaking since the 16th century, leaving Romansh communities fragmented across isolated valleys.

The challenge grows more complex with dialectal diversity. The five main varieties—Sursilvan, Sutsilvan, Surmiran, Puter, and Vallader—differ significantly, sometimes to the point of mutual unintelligibility. Sursilvan speakers and Ladin speakers, for instance, often struggle to understand each other initially. In 1982, linguists created Rumantsch Grischun, a unified written standard meant to bridge these dialects for official use. Yet many speakers resist abandoning their local varieties, viewing Rumantsch Grischun as artificial and imposed.

Still, there are those who refuse to surrender. Lia Rumantscha, founded in 1919, has spent over a century defending the language. The Swiss government invests approximately 5.2 million euros annually in preservation efforts. Eighty-four schools conduct classes in Romansh. Radio and television broadcasts reach communities daily in their mother tongue, while a vibrant Romansh Wikipedia and even hip-hop groups keep the language contemporary.

And crucially, since 2020, the number of speakers has stabilized. After a century of decline, this represents a small miracle—proof that determined preservation efforts, government support, and digital innovation can halt linguistic erosion.

Unique Beauty

Romansh contains expressions that defy translation into other languages. Consider “tschüff” [CHÜF]—which means more than simply “house.” It embodies the warmth of traditional Alpine dwellings, the shelter of family, the sanctuary where seasons pass and life endures. It carries connotations that German “Haus” or Italian “casa” cannot capture.

“Sulegl” [soo-LEGL] means “sun,” but to Romansh speakers, this word represents the hope that sustains them through long winters, the miracle that gilds Alpine peaks in gold, the signal that life begins anew. It’s not German’s “Sonne” or Italian’s “sole”—it’s the Alpine sun, understood only by those who’ve waited for it through months of snow.

The language itself is a linguistic treasure chest. As a Romance language, it descends from Latin, yet it bears deep Germanic influence. Approximately one-third of its vocabulary comes from German, 25% from Italian, and 10% from French. This trilingual influence has created something entirely unique. Where Latin “murus” (wall) became “muro” in Italian and “mur” in French, Romansh transformed it into “mür”—following its own evolutionary path while preserving archaic features lost in other Romance languages.

The linguistic structure reveals fascinating complexity. Romansh retains Latin consonant clusters like “cl” and “pl” that disappeared in other Romance languages. It developed sigmatic plurals (adding ‘s’ for plurals) more systematically than Italian or Spanish. The language employs verb-subject inversion in questions, differential object marking, and periphrastic future tenses in ways that distinguish it clearly from neighboring languages.

Most beautiful are the poems and songs. Romansh poets juxtapose Alpine vastness with intimate human life, capturing moments where nature and humanity become one. Their language flows pure as snow-covered peaks, vivid as water rushing through valleys. They write in dialects so different that a Sursilvan poem may be incomprehensible to a Vallader reader—yet both recognize the shared soul of their linguistic heritage.

Technology Creates the Archive

WIA does not revive Romansh. We do something more important: we preserve its records digitally for eternity.

For over a century, Lia Rumantscha has collected audio recordings. Since 1904, the Dicziunari Rumantsch Grischun project has systematically documented dialects across 130 villages. These materials—aging tapes, fragile paper documents, irreplaceable recordings—face the constant threat of degradation. We convert them all into permanent digital archives.

Our methodology is straightforward but powerful. We digitize existing analog recordings and convert them into formats designed for long-term preservation. We build accessible online platforms where researchers and descendants worldwide can access these materials. We systematically document grammar structures, vocabulary, and unique expressions. We establish global networks connecting linguists, enabling unprecedented collaborative research.

Imagine this: A linguist in Seoul, a grandchild of Romansh emigrants in Zürich, and a student in London—all accessing the same Romansh archive simultaneously. This isn’t science fiction. Digital preservation makes it possible today. Google Translate added Romansh in 2022, demonstrating how technology expands linguistic accessibility. We’re building on that foundation, creating comprehensive archives that serve both scholarly research and community connection.

The Korean parallel is illuminating. Under colonial rule, Korean faced existential threats. Yet dedicated scholars systematically documented and preserved it even before the digital age. Today, K-pop and K-drama spread Korean globally—a direct result of those preservation efforts. When BTS performs or “Squid Game” captivates millions, they demonstrate what happens when a language survives and thrives. We’re giving 221 languages the same opportunity.

Switzerland itself understands this deeply. As a multilingual nation where four languages coexist, it knows that linguistic diversity isn’t a problem to solve—it’s a strength to preserve. The same determination that led 91.6% of Swiss voters to protect Romansh in 1938 now powers digital preservation efforts. We’re honoring that commitment by ensuring these voices echo not just through Alpine valleys, but across time itself.

Why This Matters

Romansh is not merely a communication tool. It represents two thousand years of Alpine peoples understanding their world. Consider the specialized vocabulary for avalanche conditions, the intricate terminology for mountain pastoralism, the precise expressions for seasonal changes—all of this constitutes irreplaceable human wisdom.

During the 16th-century Reformation, the Bible was translated into Romansh. That moment transformed it into a literary language. Today, Romansh poets, writers, and musicians continue creating. There’s even a Romansh hip-hop group bringing the language into contemporary culture. The first Romansh Bible appeared in 1560—making it one of the earliest vernacular translations in Europe, predating many other minority language texts.

Romansh symbolizes Swiss multiculturalism. Four languages—German, French, Italian, Romansh—coexisting represents Switzerland’s core identity: respect for diversity. If Romansh disappears, it’s not just one language lost—it’s a retreat from pluralistic values. It would suggest that linguistic minorities, no matter how ancient or culturally significant, cannot survive in modern times. That’s a message the world cannot afford.

Encouragingly, Romansh is becoming “trendy.” As rarity and uniqueness gain cultural cachet, younger generations are rediscovering their linguistic heritage. A 2024 tourism campaign conducted in Vallader dialect boosted Engadine hotel bookings by 18%. Language serves as a cultural gateway, and culture drives economics. This creates positive feedback loops: increased visibility leads to greater pride, which encourages transmission to the next generation.

The Tomorrow We’re Building

Since 2020, Romansh speaker numbers have stabilized. After a century of decline, the tide has turned. This represents a small miracle—proof that determined preservation, government support, and digital innovation can reverse linguistic erosion.

After 221 days, when all languages are digitally archived, Romansh will stand at the center. This community of 40,000 demonstrates more than language preservation—it shows human will. The power of refusing to surrender. The collective determination to protect something small but precious.

WIA’s digital archives transcend time. In 100 years, in 200 years, someone will read Romansh poetry. They’ll hear songs that once echoed through Alpine valleys. And they’ll understand—humanity has perceived the universe in endlessly diverse ways. Each language offers a unique lens, an irreplaceable perspective. Lose one, and we all become poorer.

This is a quiet revolution. It won’t dominate news headlines, but it creates change at profound depths. One language per day, 221 languages in total—we’re building humanity’s complete digital linguistic library. Romansh is the 28th gem in that collection, a testament to survival, a beacon of hope, and proof that in the digital age, no voice need ever be silenced permanently.

“Eviva! Piglia pacific!“
[eh-VEE-vah! PEEL-yah pah-CHEE-fik]
“Cheers! Go in peace!”

This is what Romansh speakers shout when toasting, when bidding farewell—
a warm Alpine cry filled with celebration and blessing.

221 languages. 221 days.
Today, Romansh’s voice echoes across time, reaching your heart.

With WIA, every voice becomes eternal.

Next: Day 29/221 — Sardinian
Another ancient language preserved on a Mediterranean island awaits.

WIA LANGUAGE INSTITUTE
221 Languages – Digital Preservation Project

One language each day, 221 languages preserved forever | Every voice is eternal

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