The Rhaeto-Romance languages are a group of linguistically fascinating dialects (Romansh, Laolin, and Friulian) which, even though they are mutually unintelligble, have sufficient similar linguistic features to suggest a common origin. They have been known to the linguistic community since the pioneering studies of Ascoli and Gartner over a century ago."Rhaeto-Romance Languages" questions in what sense Rhaeto-Romance can be seen as a single entity and to what extent it is the creation of a small number of academic visionaries.

This book, the first general description of these languages to be written in English, provides a critical examination of the phonology, morphology, lexicon, and syntax of the modern Rhaeto-Romance dialects within the broader perspective of Romance comparative syntax and the Romance languages.