Roma
Roma are one of Sweden’s national minorities and consist of several groups with different languages, traditions, and histories.
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Roma groups in Sweden
Roma in Sweden consist of several different groups:
- Swedish Roma
- Finnish Roma
- Travelling Roma
- Non-Nordic Roma
They have different dialects, cultural expressions, and traditions. According to historical records, Roma have lived in Sweden since at least the 16th century.
History in Europe
Roma groups have been documented in Europe since the late Middle Ages. It is unclear whether they were one single people or several distinct groups at that time, but they spoke a common language.
The groups have often lived separately in different parts of Europe. In some areas, only one group has been present, while in others, several groups have lived side by side.
Self-identification and belonging
Roma people may identify themselves in different ways. For some, the region or country is most important; for others, family or clan affiliation matters more.
Self-identification can therefore differ significantly from how others label the group.
Romani chib – the Romani language
Romani originates from the Indian subcontinent and belongs to the Indo-European language family.
The language has:
- A grammar similar to Indian languages
- A shared core vocabulary of about 1,050 words
Linguists divide the development of the language into three stages:
- Proto-Romani
- Early Romani
- Modern Romani
The first two stages are not documented but have been partly reconstructed using modern Romani and linguistic theories.
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