Romanes
/ˌrɒməˈnɛs/noun
The Romani language, especially as spoken by Roma communities.
Did you know?Romanes is the Romani adverb meaning roughly “in the Romani manner,” and its deeper ancestry is generally connected with Sanskrit ḍomba, a term for certain musician or marginalized communities—not with Latin Romanus.
Etymological Timeline
Early Sanskrit
Sanskrit
ḍomba
“A member of a hereditary community, often associated in texts with music and performance”
Middle Indo-Aryan
Prakrit
ḍoma
“A related social-community name carried through later Indo-Aryan speech”
Medieval period
Romani
řom
“A Romani man or member of the Romani people”
Medieval Romani
Romani
romano
“Romani; belonging to the Rom people”
Medieval–Early Modern Romani
Romani
romanes
“In the Romani manner or in the Romani language”
19th Century
English
Romanes
“The Romani language, adopted as an English language name”