The Indian orign of the Rromani language and people is not anymore seriously questionned. Seminal discussions are currently rather held about its current Indian profile and the part of other elements in its constitution. As highlighted by Sir Ralph Turner, one of the most outstanding indologists of the 20th century, the craddle of the old Rromani language can be located among the languages of the so-called
“Central Group”, namely in the Aryavarta area, today covered approximately by the raśtra of
Uttar Pradesh. This requires some more detailed explanations:
– the arrival of a branch of Indo-European languages in Northern India
– how did Indian languages get constituted ?
– Turner’s location of proto-Rromani
– Turner’s erroneous datation of the Rroms’ exodus
– the development of Sanskrit to Prakrit phonology
– the word ḍomba in this context
– the development of Sanskrit to Prakrit grammar
– the relationship between Indic and Persic fund ‒ Persian among Salçuk Turks
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This article republished with the permission of author Marcel Courthiade
