The Story Behind Dialect Atlas — Why I Started Building the Romanes App

My name is Christian Rajab Zadeh, and I am the founder of Dialect Atlas and the Romanes app — the very first multi-dialect learning app I built.

This project did not start as a business idea. It started as something deeply personal.

I am Roma myself, and for a long time I carried a quiet wish: I wanted to learn Romanes — the language of my heritage.

But like many people in the Roma and Sinti diaspora, I realized how difficult that journey can be. Resources were scattered. Dialects varied. And in many places, access to structured learning materials was limited or simply unavailable.

I began to understand that this was not just my own challenge. It was a shared experience across generations — especially for those who grew up far from traditional language communities.

So I decided to build something myself.

Not because I was a company. Not because I had funding. But because I cared.

Building the First Version

The first version of the Romanes app was simple. It focused on vocabulary and basic learning tools, built step by step in my spare time.

What mattered most to me from the very beginning was accessibility.

I wanted the app to be:

• Available to heritage speakers everywhere
• Usable without accounts or subscriptions
• Respectful of dialect diversity
• Focused on real language, not simplified stereotypes
• Accessible even to people with limited internet access

In short: a tool for connection — not just education.

A Turning Point: Collaboration with a Linguist

As the project grew, I realized something important.

If the app was going to be truly valuable, it needed strong linguistic foundations.

That is when I reached out to Professor Yaron Matras, one of the world’s leading authorities on the Romanes language.

Reaching out felt like a bold step. I was an independent developer working alone, building an app from personal motivation.

But the response was encouraging.

Professor Matras recognized the importance of making Romanes learning more accessible — especially for diaspora communities — and agreed to support the project.

His contribution transformed the app.

With his guidance and linguistic data, the Romanes app evolved from a personal project into a resource grounded in academic knowledge and real language documentation.

That partnership remains one of the most meaningful milestones in the journey so far.

Why This Matters

For many Roma and Sinti people, language is more than communication.

It is:

• identity
• history
• belonging
• cultural memory

And for those living in diaspora, reconnecting with the language can feel both important and difficult at the same time.

That is exactly why the Romanes app exists.

Not to replace community. Not to define a single “correct” dialect. But to make learning possible — wherever you are in the world.

From One App to a Platform

The Romanes app became the starting point for something bigger.

What began as a personal learning tool grew into Dialect Atlas, a platform designed to support many languages and dialects — each with the same philosophy:

• Respect linguistic diversity
• Support heritage speakers
• Preserve living languages
• Make learning accessible globally
• Keep technology simple and inclusive

Romanes was the first step. But it will never be the last.

Looking Ahead

My hope is simple.

I want to reach as many Roma and Sinti people as possible — especially those living in diaspora who may not have easy access to their language and culture.

If even one person reconnects with their heritage because of this app, then the effort has been worth it.

And this is only the beginning.