Aromanians

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. An ethnic group native to the Balkans, speaking a Romance language related to Romanian; known for their traditional pastoral and merchant lifestyle; residing primarily in mountainous regions of southeastern Europe
2. A community of people descended from Latin-speaking ancestors in the Balkans, maintaining a distinct language and cultural practices; often involved historically in trade and shepherding across southeastern mountain areas
3. A Balkan population identified by their unique Eastern Romance language and cultural heritage, traditionally engaged in sheep herding and commerce; concentrated in the highland zones of southeastern Europe where they preserve their ethnic identity

Etymology: The plural "Aromanians" is the form used for the people of this name, and its history runs back through the self-name of the group itself. The English word "Aromanian" is the plural of "Aromanian", a noun for a Balkan people whose language is a close relative of Romanian. It comes from Romanian "aromân", which in turn derives from "armân", the group's own name for themselves. In the Aromanian language, the word appears as "armãn", and that is the root from which the other forms developed. The name thus reflects how the people refer to themselves rather than an outside label. The English word simply takes the Romanian form and adds the English plural ending, so the people are called "Aromanians" in the plural, and the single person is an "Aromanian".

Synonyms: vlachs