Romani in Britain: The Afterlife of a Language

Romani in Britain is the first academic, empirically-based study dedicated to the unique speech form of English Romanies/Gypsies, often called Anglo-Romani. The book contributes to studies of language endangerment and death; studies of "secret" and "in-group" languages; and mixed language research. Readers will learn about the history of Romani in Britain, its relationship with European Romani, the process of its abandonment as an everyday minority language, patterns of "selective replication" of Romani-derived structures, and attitudes toward the language and its revival among English Gypsies today. Yaron Matras is a leading expert on the Romani language, and his book interviews individuals from across the country.