Vallader dialect (Romansh)

Historical distribution of the dialects of Romansh, German, and Italian in Graubünden:
  Vallader

Vallader is a variety of the Romansh language spoken in the Engadin valley of southeast Switzerland, between Martina and Zernez. It was also formerly (until 2008) used as a written language in the nearby community of Val Müstair, where Jauer is spoken.

Classification

Puter and Vallader are sometimes referred to as one specific variety known as Ladin, as they have retained this word to mean Romansh. However, Ladin is primarily associated with the closely related language in Italy's Dolomite mountains also known as Ladin.

Example

A text in Vallader, in the standard language Rumantsch Grischun, as well as English.

Vallader

"La vuolp d’eira darcheu üna jada fomantada. Qua ha’la vis sün ün pin ün corv chi tgnaiva ün toc chaschöl in seis pical. Quai am gustess, ha’la pensà, ed ha clomà al corv: „Che bel cha tü est! Scha teis chant es uschè bel sco tia apparentscha, lura est tü il plü bel utschè da tuots."

Rumantsch Grischun

"La vulp era puspè ina giada fomentada. Qua ha ella vis sin in pign in corv che tegneva in toc chaschiel en ses pichel. Quai ma gustass, ha ella pensà, ed ha clamà al corv: "Tge bel che ti es! Sche tes chant è uschè bel sco tia parita, lura es ti il pli bel utschè da tuts."

English

The fox was hungry once again. There he saw a raven upon a fir holding a piece of cheese in its beak. I could just eat that, it thought, and shouted at the raven: "You are so beautiful! If your singing is as beautiful as your looks, you are the most beautiful of all birds."

Literature

Vallader literature is published among others by the Lia Rumantscha in Chur.