I just found out that this is not just a language, but a language that may be in danger of disappearing. Anybody know anything about it? My source tells me it's in what used to be the Roman province of Rhetia.

EDIT: Dr. Bill sent me this link (thank you) which is very interesting, language-wise:
http://encyclopedia.laborlawtalk.com/Rhaeto-Romanic

It's a language spoken only (as far as I know) in Switzerland. Has at least three dialects of which I know the names of only two, Ladin and Sur Sylvan.

From somwhere in one of my language classes, I recall that it is considered one of the Romance languages, although I remember its name being 'Romanche'.

Isn't this also the language of the Gypsies, or am I all mixed up again?

the language of the Gypsies

That's Romany. And yes, it is a Romance language. Somewhere around here the lovely AnnaS and I have a couple of copies (another reason we knew we were meant for each other) of a Rumansch phrase book. I find it I can grace y'all with a few choice phrases.

While travelling a decade or two ago I met a young man who's first language was Rumantsch. He spoke four others of which his excellent English was the "worst" although it took a while to get him to admit it for fear of boasting. Put the Canadian high school cry of "How come I hafta study French?" to shame.

I think Insel's on the right track: Romany is also know as Ladino, if I'm not totally losing my memory.

Back to the Swiss dialect, the family is called Rhaeto-Romance.

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Yo, Zed, good to see your funny fonts again. :)

Man, it's so hard keeping all this stuff straight.

Ladino is a dialect of Spanish. It is the language of the Sephardic Jews, developed when they were in Spain.

Ladin is a dialect of Rumantsh. Like Ladino, it is a Romance language, but not particularly closely related to Ladino. Looks like its closest relative in the Big Three is French.

http://home.wanadoo.nl/arjenbolhuis/language-family-trees/

Romany is the language of the people known commonly in English as gypsies. It is an Indo-European language in the Indo-Aryan branch. It is closely related to Hindi and Punjabi.

Man, it's so hard keeping all this stuff straight.
Holy cow--I am impressed (as usual), Faldage.

That thread a while back was so interesting to me; about...(stupid memory!) the Welsh(?) language being apparently related to Hindi(?). Given your statement above, I wonder if the Gypsies had anything to do with that.