Romansh people
Encyclopedia
The Romansh people are a people
and ethnic group
of Switzerland
, native speakers of the Romansh language. However, nowadays they almost always are multilingual, speaking also German
(both the standard variety
and the local Swiss German
) and sometimes Italian
, which are the other official language of Graubünden
, the canton where they are concentrated.
They make up about 1% of Switzerland's population and 15% of Graubünden's.
People
People is a plurality of human beings or other beings possessing enough qualities constituting personhood. It has two usages:* as the plural of person or a group of people People is a plurality of human beings or other beings possessing enough qualities constituting personhood. It has two usages:*...
and ethnic group
Ethnic group
An ethnic group is a group of people whose members identify with each other, through a common heritage, often consisting of a common language, a common culture and/or an ideology that stresses common ancestry or endogamy...
of Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, native speakers of the Romansh language. However, nowadays they almost always are multilingual, speaking also German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
(both the standard variety
Standard German
Standard German is the standard variety of the German language used as a written language, in formal contexts, and for communication between different dialect areas...
and the local Swiss German
Swiss German
Swiss German is any of the Alemannic dialects spoken in Switzerland and in some Alpine communities in Northern Italy. Occasionally, the Alemannic dialects spoken in other countries are grouped together with Swiss German as well, especially the dialects of Liechtenstein and Austrian Vorarlberg...
) and sometimes Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
, which are the other official language of Graubünden
Graubünden
Graubünden or Grisons is the largest and easternmost canton of Switzerland. The canton shares borders with the cantons of Ticino, Uri, Glarus and St. Gallen and international borders with Italy, Austria and Liechtenstein...
, the canton where they are concentrated.
They make up about 1% of Switzerland's population and 15% of Graubünden's.
Notable Romansh people
- Jim Caviezel - American actor (Romansh surname)
- Joseph PlantaJoseph Planta (librarian)Joseph Planta FRS , aka Joseph von Planta, was a librarian of Swiss origin who moved to London and became the Principal Librarian of the British Museum....
- British librarian - Joseph PlantaJoseph PlantaSir Joseph Planta GCH was a British diplomat and politician of Swiss descent. He was the MP for Hastings, England.Joseph Planta was the son of another Joseph Planta , who moved from Switzerland to England and who became the Principal Librarian of the British Museum in London...
- British diplomat - René Schnoz - Swiss actor