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According to the Summer Institute for Linguistics's guide to world languages, the Ethnologue, the Romance languages include 47 languages and dialects spoken in Europe. This language group is a part of the Italic languages family, with Latin being the only extant Italic non-Romanic language.

The classification described below is largely based on the analysis provided by the Ethnologue. The ISO-639-2 code roa is applied by the ISO for any Romance variety that does not have its own code. The Ethnologue classification is regarded to be at one extreme of points of view held by linguists, who are roughly divided into 'splitters' (like the Ethnologue) and 'lumpers'. The Ethnologue classification produces a very detailed classification, more reflectant of regional difference than many other linguists would accept, but valuable as a description of varieties.

Top level groups are listed roughly East to West.

This article lists also the main groups of Romance-based Creole languages.

The Romance language family (simplified) - click to enlarge (needs correction of Dalmatian)

Eastern Romance

• Romanian (SIL Code, RUM; ISO 639-1 code, ro; ISO 639-2(B) code, rum; ISO 639-2(T) code, ron), 28 million speakers Romania, Moldova, Ukraine, Serbia
• Aromanian (SIL Code, RUP; ISO 639-2 code, rup): 300,000 in Greece, 100,000 in Albania, 15,000 in the Republic of Macedonia, and 10,000 in Bulgaria.
• Megleno-Romanian (SIL Code, RUQ; ISO 639-2 code, roa), also known as Moglenitic or Meglenitic: 5,000 in Greece and the Republic of Macedonia
• Istro-Romanian (SIL Code, RUO; ISO 639-2 code, roa): 170 speakers in Croatia (ethnic population, though: 1,500)

Southern Romance

• Sardinian macrolanguage: 1,300,000 speakers in Sardinia. Four versions recognized; all are sub-included in ISO 639-1 code, sc; ISO 639-2 code, srd)
  • Sardinian, Sassarese (SIL code, SDC)
  • Sardinian, Gallurese (SIL Code, SDN)
  • Sardinian, Logudorese (SIL Code, SRD)
  • Sardinian, Campidanese (SIL Code, SRO)
• Corsican (SIL Code, COI; ISO 639-1 code, co; ISO 639-2 code, cos) is sometimes listed under Southern Romance languages, and other times under Italian-Dalmatian languages

Italo-Dalmatian branch of Italo-Western Romance

• Dalmatian (SIL Code, DLM; ISO 639-2 code, roa): Croatia, extinct in the 19th century
  • Regional varieties: Ragusan, Vegliot, Zara/Zadar
• Istriot (SIL Code, IST; ISO 639-2 code, roa): 1,000 speakers in Istria
• Italian (SIL Code, ITN; ISO 639-1 code, it; ISO 639-2 code, ita): 60,000,000 in Italy; 3,000,000 in the Americas and 2,000,000 in Western Europe, Oceania and Africa. Italian dialects:
  • Judeo-Italian (SIL Code, ITK; ISO 639-2 code, roa): 4,000 Italy
  • Corsican (SIL Code, COI; ISO 639-1 code, co; ISO 639-2 code, cos), related to Italian, and particularly to the Tuscan dialects, is sometimes listed under Italian-Dalmatian languages, and other times under Southern Romance languages
• Napoletano-Calabrese (SIL Code, NPL; ISO 639-2 code, roa): about 8,000,000 in central-southern Italy
• Sicilian (SIL Code, SCN; ISO 639-2 code, scn): 6,000,000 in Sicily, Calabria and Puglia

Western Romance branch of Italo-Western Romance

Western Romance languages comprise the Romance subgroup with the most languages and the most speakers. It includes three major international languages - French, Portuguese and Spanish as well as many regional languages, dialects and varieties.

Pyrenean-Mozarabic Romance

• Aragonese: 10,000 in Aragon.
• Mozarabic: Southern Iberia (extinct)

Gallo-Iberian Romance

The languages in this subfamily can be grouped into four main groups: Gallo-Rhaetian, Northern Italian, Occitano Romance, and Iberian Romance. But there is no consensus on how these four groups relate. The Ethnologue groups the first two under Gallo-Romance (and generally lists Northern Italian first and Gallo-Rhaetian second), and considers Occitano Romance a subgroup of Iberian Romance. Sometimes, however, Occitano Romance is regarded as a group of its own. Yet another method is to lump Northern Italian and Occitano Romance as subgroups of a group of their own.

For simplicity of presentation, the four groups are listed separately below. However, note that all points of view among linguists reject a classifcation into four groups.

Gallo-Rhaetian Gallo-Romance

• Oïl languages, most non-French Oïl languages now have some legal or administrative status as languages distinct from French^[1][2][3], but have also been regarded by some as French dialects:^[4]
  • French: 70 million Europe; 12 million Americas. Official language of France and its Overseas Territories, Monaco, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Canada, Haiti, Lebanon, Vanuatu, parts of India and many countries in Africa. One of the six official languages of the United Nations, and one of its two working languages. A language of administration in Syria, Cambodia and Laos. Spoken and studied in many other countries - (SIL Code, FRN; ISO 639-1 code, fr; ISO 639-2(B) code, fre; ISO 639-2(T) code, fra).
    • French Dialects in Europe:
      • Aostan French (Italy)
      • Belgian French (Belgium)
      • Metropolitan French (France; Standard French Language)
      • Swiss French (Switzerland)
      • Meridional French (France)
    • French Dialects in the Americas:
      • Canadian French (Canada):
        • Acadian French
        • Newfoundland French
        • Quebec French
      • Cajun French (United States) - (SIL Code, FRC; ISO 639-2 code, roa)
    • Zarphatic - Jewish French, extinct - (SIL Code, ZRP; ISO 639-2 code, roa)
  • Burgundian language (Bourguignon-Morvandiau)
  • Champenois: spoken in Champagne and Wallonia.
  • Franc-Comtois: spoken in Franche-Comté and Romandy.
  • Gallo: spoken in Brittany
  • Lorrain: spoken in Lorraine region and Wallonia (as Gaumais).
  • Norman: a group of languages in Normandy and the Channel Islands:
    • Anglo-Norman language: used in England after the Norman conquest of 1066. Extinct.
    • Auregnais: Alderney (extinct).
    • Continental dialects: including Augeron, Cauchois, Cotentinais
    • Guernésiais: spoken in Guernsey. Endangered.
    • Jèrriais: spoken in Jersey. Endangered.
      • Sercquiais: spoken in Sark. Highly endangered.
  • Picard - (SIL Code, PCD; ISO 639-2 code, roa)
  • Poitevin
  • Saintongeais
  • Walloon

• Franco-Provençal: endangered - Italy: Aosta Valley, Piedmont, Foggia; France: Rhône-Alpes, Franche-Comté; Switzerland: Romandy
  • Franco-Provençal dialects: see Franco-Provençal Dialect List
• Rhaeto-Romance languages
  • Friulian: 2 million Friuli, Argentina, Canada, Australia, etc. - (SIL Code, FRL; ISO 639-2 code, fur)
  • Ladin: Dolomites - (SIL Code, LLD; ISO 639-2 code, roa)
  • Romansh: 66,000 Switzerland - (SIL Code, RHE; ISO 639-1 code, rm; ISO 639-2 code, roh).

Northern Italian Gallo-Romance

These languages are also sometimes called Padanian or Cisalpine.

• Gallo-Italic languages group (not be confused with the whole Northern Italian group)
  • Emiliano-Romagnolo - (SIL Code, EML; ISO 639-2 code, roa)
  • Ligurian - (SIL Code, LIJ; ISO 639-2 code, roa)
    • Genoese
  • Lombard: Over 8,800,000 speakers in Lombardy and neighboring regions. Many regional varieties. Most speakers bilingual in Standard Italian - (SIL Code, LMO; ISO 639-2 code, roa).
    • Western Lombard:
    • Eastern Lombard
    • Gallo-siculo (also related to Sicilian and Piedmontese)
  • Piedmontese: 2,000,000 in Piedmont - (SIL Code, PMS; ISO 639-2 code, roa)
• Venetian group
  • Venetian: 4,500,000 in Veneto, Trentino, Friuli and Venezia Giulia-Istria, most speakers bilingual in Standard Italian - (SIL Code, VEC; ISO 639-2 code, roa); spoken also in South Brasil and Mexico, and small minorities in Dalmatia.

Occitano-Romance

There is a controversy about the classification of Catalan and Occitan languages. One way is to list them as a distinct group of its own. A second way is to lump them into the Ibero-Romance group, under the claim that they serve as transitional languages between Ibero-Romance and Gallo-Romance. A third way is to lump it with the Northern Italian subclad of the Gallo-Romance.

• Catalan: 6.5 million. Spoken in Spain, France, Andorra, Italy. The only official language of Andorra. Official in Catalonia, Valencian Community and Balearic Islands - (SIL Code, CAT; ISO 639-1 code, ca; ISO 639-2 code, cat). Dialects:
  • Eastern Catalan
    • Alguerese: spoken in the town of Alghero in Sardinia.
    • Balearic
    • Central Catalan
    • Northern Catalan (Roussillonese)
  • Western Catalan
    • Ribagorçan
    • North-Western Catalan
    • Valencian

• Occitan: circa 2 million in France, Italy, Spain and Monaco - Six dialects recognized; all are included in ISO 639-1 code, oc; ISO 639-2 code, oci; ISO 639-3 and SIL code, OCI) - all are from France:
  • Auvergnat also known as Auvernhat: Auvergne province
  • Gascon: Bordeaux (Bordèu) country
  • Lengadocian: from Bergerac to Montpellier, including Toulouse, Agen, Montauban, Carcassonne, Aurillac
  • Lemosin: Limousin and Charente
  • Provençal: Marseilles (Marselha) and Provence
    • Niçard: County of Nice - generally considered as a subdialect of Provençal
    • Shuadit: Judeo-Provençal. Extinct since 1977 - Generally considered as Provençal and not as a language of its own (ISO 639-3 and SIL Code, SDT).
  • Vivaro-Alpine: Southern France and North-Western Italy, plus the Gardiol in Guardia Piemontese, Calabria.
    • Cisalpenc: Piedmont western valleys

Iberian Romance

This group includes the West Iberian languages - Asturian, Leonese, Mirandese, Spanish, Galician, Portuguese and their dialects.

• West Iberian languages
  • Spanish (Castilian):
    • Spanish (Castilian): 360 million Spain, Americas. Official in Spain, United Nations, many countries of Latin America, and Equatorial Guinea. See Spanish dialects and varieties for an exhaustive list - (SIL Code, SPN; ISO 639-1 code, es; ISO 639-2 code, spa).
    • Ladino (Judæo-Spanish) - (SIL Code, SPJ; ISO 639-2 code, lad).
    • Spanish, Loreto-Ucayali (SIL Code, SPQ; ISO 639-2 code, roa), or Jungle Spanish
  • Astur-Leonese
    • Asturian - (SIL Code, AUB; ISO 639-2 code, ast)
    • Leonese: 55.000 (Spain and Portugal) - (LS Code AAA-51-ccc)
    • Extremaduran: 200,000 - (SIL Code, EXT; ISO 639-2 code, roa)
    • Mirandese: 5,000 Portugal - (SIL Code, MWL; ISO 639-2 code, roa)
  • Galician-Portuguese
    • Portuguese: 230 million Portugal, Brazil; 26 million Africa and a few thousands Asia - (SIL Code, POR; ISO 639-1 code, pt; ISO 639-2 code, por). Many mutually intelligible dialects, see Portuguese dialects for a full list.
    • Judeo-Portuguese: extinct.
    • Galician: 3 million in Galicia - (SIL Code, GLN; ISO 639-1 code, gl; ISO 639-2 code, glg).
    • Fala: 10,000 in Extremadura, Spain - (SIL Code, FAX; ISO 639-2 code, roa).

• Caló (SIL Code, RMR; ISO 639-2 code, roa), or Spanish Romani is a Romani language whose grammar has been heavily influenced by Spanish. The Ethnologue lists it in a separate group of mixed languages; it is not one of the 47.

Extinct branches of the Romance language tree

• African Romance: Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Libya (extinct).
• British Romance: England and Wales (extinct).
• The language of the Morlachs: Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro and Slovenia (extinct).
• It's believed there were Germano-Romance languages in present-day Southern Germany, Switzerland and Austria in the 11th century AD.
• Slavic-Romance: The hypothetical language of the Brodnici of southern Moldavia and western Ukraine in the 13th to 15th century AD.
• Pannonian Romance: Hungary (extinct).

Pidgins and creoles

The global spread of colonial Romance languages has given rise to numerous creole languages and pidgins. Some of the lesser-used languages have also had influences on varieties spoken far from their traditional regions. The following is a partial list of creole languages and pidgins, grouped by their main source language.

• Mediterranean Lingua Franca, influenced by the Romance languages of the Western Mediterranean and Arabic.
• French-based creole languages
• Portuguese-based creole languages
• Spanish-based creole languages

While not being pidgins nor creoles, English (see Middle English creole hypothesis), Basque and Albanian have a substantial Romance influence in their vocabularies.

For mixed languages based on Romance languages, see the main article on Mixed languages.

Romance languages by usage

The 47 spoken varieties identified by the Ethnologue can be grouped by usage as follows:

• 6 national languages: Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian, Romanian and Catalan (Andorra)
• 8 languages and 1 macrolanguage with 3 varieties, which have various forms of official recognition and at least some degree of formal education available in them:
  • Galician, and Aragonese in Spain
  • Waloon in Belgium
  • Romansh in Switzerland
  • Occitan language and Corsican language in France
  • Franco-Provençal language, Friulian language, and Sardinian macrolanguage in Italy
    • Logudorese, Campidanese, Sassarese and Gallurese - varieties making up the Sardinian macrolanguage (Note that the latter two can be classified as varieties of Corsican.)
• 7 endangered or partially endangered languages:
  • Asturian and Fala in Spain
  • Mirandese in Portugal
  • Ladin in Italy
  • Istro-Romanian in Croatia
  • Megleno-Romanian in Greece and Macedonia with a diaspora in Romania
  • Aromanian in Albania, Macedonia, Greece, and Bulgaria with a diaspora in Romania
• 14 varieties or dialects:
  • Amazonic Spanish (in Peru), Extremaduran variety (in Spain), and Ladino language (Judeo-Spanish)
  • Cajun French (in the USA) and Picard (in France)
  • Northern Italian varieties: Emiliano-Romagnolo, Ligurian, Piedmontese, Lombard, and Venetian
  • proper Italian varieties: Napoletano-Calabrese, Sicilian, Istriot, and Judeo-Italian
• 4 extinct languages:
  • Mozarabic,
  • Shuadit (Judeo-Provençal), itself a vitiety of the Occitan macrolanguage,
  • Zarphatic (Jewish French), and
  • Dalmatian

The Ethnologue classification does not include numerous other dialects and varieties of the Romance languages, such as:

• extinct Romance branches (African Romance, the language of the Morlachs)
• pidgins and creoles
• Medieval Latin as it is regarded only as a written language (it was the lingua franca of the scientists during the Middle Ages), not spoken by an ethnic population
• numerous other Spanish dialects and varieties, such as Cantabrian or Latin American
• numerous Portuguese varieties and dialects, such as Brazilian Portuguese, African Portuguese, Judeo-Portuguese
• Niçard and other varieties of Occitan
• 8 other oïl languages (besides French, Wallon, and Picard)
• numerous American and African dialects of French
• central Italian varieties, including Romanesco, Salentino, Toscan dialect

See also

• Classification of Romance languages
• List of languages of Italy
• Legacy of the Roman Empire

References

• Ethnologue's Romance language tree