Why are French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, and Romanian sometimes referred to as "Romance Languages

Answer 1

These languages are called "Romance languages" because they evolved from Latin, the language of the Romans. During the expansion of the Roman Empire, Latin spread across Europe and mixed with the local languages, giving rise to new varieties known as Vulgar Latin. Over time, Vulgar Latin continued to evolve independently in different regions, leading to the formation of distinct languages such as French, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, and Romanian. The term "Romance" comes from the Latin word "Romanicus," which means "in the Roman manner" or "Roman-like."