Final answer:
The terms 'Vlach' and 'Wallachia' have Germanic roots, referring to Romanized Celts and later Romanized Latin speakers in the Balkans. These terms evolved through Slavic influences and describe the people and the region of 'Wallachia' in Eastern Europe where Romanized Latin speakers lived.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term ‘Vlach’ and the name ‘Wallachia’ find their etymological roots in various languages. The term ‘Vlach’ is traced back to a Germanic origin, particularly from the word ‘Walha’, used by ancient Germanic peoples to describe Romanized Celts and later on, Latin speakers of the Balkans. These terms evolved over time through Slavic and other East European influences to refer to Romance language speakers in Eastern Europe, particularly in the region that became known as Wallachia. The name ‘Wallachia’ itself is derived from the same roots, signifying a land where ‘Vlachs’, or Romanized Latin speakers, lived. This evolving vernacular stemmed from the significant cultural exchanges between Latin, Germanic, and subsequently Slavic peoples.
The term 'Vlach' and similar words in various European languages (e.g., 'Welsch' in German) conveyed a notion of 'foreign-speaking' or 'Romanized foreigner', akin to the broader use of 'barbarian' by the Romans for those not Romanized. During the Migration Period, as Germanic tribes moved through Europe, these terms continued to morph and eventually became identifiers for the people in specific regions such as Wallachia. This region’s historical and cultural development was further shaped during the period when it became liberated from Hungarian influence and developed ties with adjacent cultures like the Serbs and later the Ottoman Empire.