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[Handwriting: F. Druce, the gift of the author.]
An Account of the Romansh Language.
By Joseph Planta, Esq. F. R. S.
In a Letter to Sir John Pringle, Bart. P. R. S.
[Handwriting: Phil. Trans. vol LXVI. A.D. 1776]
British Museum,
June 30, 1775.
The Bible lately presented to the Royal Society by Count de Salis, beinga version into a language as little attended to in this country, as itmay appear curious to those who take pleasure in philological inquiries;I embrace this opportunity to communicate to you, and, with yourapprobation, to the Society, all that I have been able to collectconcerning its history and present state.
This language is called Romansh, and is now spoken in the mostmountainous parts of the country of the Grisons, near the sources of theRhine and the Inn. It consists of two main dialects; which, thoughpartaking both of the above general name, differ however so widely as toconstitute in a manner two distinct languages. Books are printed in bothof them; and each, though it be universally understood in its respectivedistrict, is yet sub-divided into almost as many secondary dialects asthere are villages in which it is spoken; which differ, however, butlittle except in the pronunciation. One of the main dialects, which isspoken in the Engadine, a valley extending from the source of the Inn tothe frontiers of the Tyrolese, is by the inhabitants called Ladin. Itadmits of some variation, even in the books, according as they areprinted either in the upper or the lower part of this province. Theabovementioned Bible is in the dialect of the lower Engadine; which,however, is perfectly understood in the upper part of that province,where they use no other version. The other dialect, which is thelanguage of the Grey, or Upper. League, is distinguished from the formerby the name of Cialover:[A] and I must here observe, that in the verycentre, and most inaccessible parts of this latter district, there aresome villages situated in the narrow valleys, called Rheinwald,Cepina,[B] &c. in which a third language is spoken, more similar to theGerman than to either of the above idioms, although they be neithercontiguous, nor have any great intercourse with the parts where theGerman is used.
It being impossible to form any idea of the origin and progress of alanguage, without attending to the revolutions that may have contributedto its formation and subsequent variations; and this being particularlythe case in the present instance, wherein no series of documents isextant to guide us in our researches; I shall briefly recapitulate theprincipal events which may have affected the language of the Grisons, asI find them related by authors of approved veracity.[C]
Ambigatus, the first king of the Celtic Gaul upon record, who[D] about400[E] years before Christ, governed all the country situated betweenthe Alps and the Pyrenaean mountains, sent out two formidable armiesunder the command of one of his nephews; one of whom, named Segovisius,forced his way into the heart of Germany: and the other, Bellovisius,having passed the Alps, penetrated into Italy as far as the settlementsof the Tuscans, which at that time extended over the greatest part ofthe country now called Lombardy. These, and several other swarms ofinvaders whom the successes of the former soon after attracted, havingtotally subdued that country, built Milan, Verona, Brescia