“A tinker would like to have a wife who knows as much of that as you do,” he remarked. “No woman is fit to be a tinker’s wife who can’t make ten shillings a day by glantherin. Glantherin or glad’herin is the correct word in Shelter for ringing the changes. As for the language, I believe it’s mostly Gaelic, but it’s mixed up with Romanes and canting or thieves’ slang. Once it was the common language of all the old tinkers. But of late years the old tinkers’ families are mostly broken up, and the language is perishing.”

Then he proceeded to give us the words in Shelta, or Minklers Thari. They were as follows:—

Shelkin gallopas Selling ferns.
Soobli, Soobri Brother, friend—a man.
Bewr Woman.
Gothlin or goch’thlin Child.
Young bewr Girl.
Durra, or derra Bread.
Pani Water (Romany).
Stiff A warrant (common cant).
Yack A watch (cant, i.e. bull’s eye, Yack, an eye in Romany).
Mush-faker Umbrella mender.
Mithani (mithni) Policeman.
Ghesterman (ghesti) Magistrate.
Needi-mizzler A tramp.
Dinnessy Cat.
Stall Go, travel.
Biyêghin Stealing.
Biyêg To steal.
Biyêg th’eenik To steal the thing.
Crack A stick.
Monkery Country.
Prat Stop, stay, lodge.
Nêd askan Lodging.
Glantherin (glad’herin) Money, swindling.

This word has a very peculiar pronunciation.

Sauni or sonni See.
Strépuck (reepuck) A harlot.
Strépuck lusk, Luthrum’s gothlin Son of a harlot.
Kurrb yer pee Punch your head or face.
Pee Face.
Borers and jumpers Tinkers’ tools.
Borers Gimlets.
Jumpers Cranks.
Ogles Eyes (common slang).
Nyock Head.
Nyock A penny.
Odd Two.
Midgic A shilling.
Nyö(d)ghee A pound.
Sai, sy Sixpence.
Charrshom, Cherrshom, Tusheroon A crown.
Tré-nyock Threepence.
Tripo-rauniel A pot of beer.
Thari, Bug Talk.

Can you thari Shelter? Can you bug Shelta? Can you talk tinkers’ language?

Shelter, shelta Tinker’s slang.
Lárkin Girl.

Curious as perhaps indicating an affinity between the Hindustani larki, a girl, and the gypsy rakli.

Snips Scissors (slang).
Dingle fakir A bell-hanger.
Dunnovans Potatoes.
Fay (vulgarly fee) Meat.

Our informant declared that there are vulgar forms of certain words.