Who Are the Istro-Romanians?
The Istro-Romanians (Istro-Români, Vlahi) are a Romance-speaking population inhabiting a small area of the Istrian peninsula in Croatia, making them one of the world's smallest and most endangered linguistic communities. Numbering perhaps 200-1,000 (estimates vary greatly), with likely fewer than 200 fluent native speakers remaining, they speak Istro-Romanian, a Romance language descended from Vulgar Latin, related to Romanian but separated for over a millennium. They represent the westernmost and smallest surviving branch of the Eastern Romance linguistic family, preserving a language that once extended across the Balkans before Slavic expansion.
Ancient Origins
Istro-Romanians descend from Romanized populations of the western Balkans who survived Slavic migrations in the early medieval period. Theories of their specific origin vary—some scholars link them to Vlach pastoral populations who migrated from the central Balkans; others see them as autochthonous descendants of Romanized Illyrians. Istrian Romance speech was once more widespread; place names and historical records indicate Romance speakers across the peninsula. By the modern era, Istro-Romanians had contracted to a handful of villages in the Ćićarija highlands (Žejane being the main northern village) and the Učka Mountain area (including Šušnjevica, Jesenovik, Brdo, and others). This contraction reflects centuries of Slavicization and later Italian influence in coastal areas.
Survival and Decline
The Istro-Romanian community has experienced dramatic decline over the past century. Italian irredentist policies and World War II disrupted the region; after the war, many Istrians (including some Istro-Romanians) left in the Istrian exodus when the region passed from Italy to Yugoslavia. Yugoslav policies did not support minority languages. Mixed marriages accelerated language shift; children increasingly grew up speaking Croatian. By late 20th century assessments, Istro-Romanian was critically endangered with almost no child speakers. The language survives primarily among elderly villagers, with limited intergenerational transmission. Linguists have documented the language extensively, recognizing its importance for Romance linguistics, but documentation cannot replace living speakers.
Contemporary Istro-Romanians
Today's Istro-Romanian community exists precariously. Remaining speakers are predominantly elderly; few if any children learn Istro-Romanian as a first language. Croatian (and previously Italian) dominates daily life. Cultural associations in Croatia and Romania work to preserve heritage through documentation, publications, and cultural events. Romanian cultural organizations have supported preservation efforts, though standard Romanian differs considerably from Istro-Romanian. Academic interest is high given the language's significance for understanding Balkan Romance evolution. However, without native speakers reproducing the language, Istro-Romanian faces extinction within decades. The Istro-Romanians represent the ultimate vulnerability of small linguistic communities—centuries of survival can end within a generation when transmission breaks down.
References
- Kovačec, A. (1971). Description of Istro-Romanian
- Puşcariu, S. (1926). Studii istroromâne
- Hurren, H. A. (1999). Istro-Romanian: A Functionalist Account