“An’ begorra, I think it’s very remarkable, sorr, that ye should know there is such a language.”

“Will you give me a lesson?”

“Troth I will.”

I went into the house and brought out a note-book. One of the servants brought me a chair. Owen went on soldering a tin dish, and I proceeded to take down from him the following list of words in Shelta:

Théddy Fire (theinne. Irish).
Strawn Tin.
Blyhunka Horse.
Leicheen Girl.
Soobli Male, man.
Binny soobli Boy.
Binny Small.
Chimmel Stick.
Gh’ratha, grata Hat.
Griffin, or gruffin Coat.
Réspes Trousers.
Gullemnocks Shoes.
Grascot Waistcoat.
Skoich, or skoi Button.
Numpa Sovereign, one pound.
Gorhead, or godhed Money.
Merrih Nose (?).
Nyock Head.
Graigh Hair.
Kainé, or kyni Ears (Romany, kan).
Mélthog Inner shirt.
Médthel Black.
Cunnels Potatoes.
Faihé, or feyé Meat (féoil. Gaelic).
Muogh Pig (muck. Irish).
Miesli, misli To go (origin of “mizzle”?)
Mailyas, or moillhas Fingers (meirleach, stealers Gaelic).
Shaidyog Policeman.
Réspun To steal.
Shoich Water, blood, liquid.
Alemnoch Milk.
Räglan, or réglan Hammer.
Goppa Furnace, smith (gobha, a smith. Gaelic).
Terry A heating-iron.
Khoi Pincers.
Chimmes (compare chimmel) Wood or stick.
Mailyas Arms.
Koras Legs (cos, leg. Gaelic).
Skoihōpa Whisky.
Bulla (ull as in gull) A letter.
Thari Word, language.
Mush Umbrella (slang).
Lyesken cherps Telling fortunes.
Loshools Flowers (lus, erb or flower? Gaelic).
Dainoch To lose.
Chaldroch Knife (caldock, sharply pointed. Gaelic).
Bog To get.
Masheen Cat.
Cāmbra Dog.
Laprogh Goose, duck.
Kaldthog Hen.
Rumogh Egg.
Kiéna House (ken, old gypsy and modern cant).
Rawg Wagon.
Gullemnoch Shoes.
Anālt To sweep, to broom.
Anālken To wash.
D’erri Bread.
R’ghoglin (gogh’leen) To laugh.
Krädyin To stop, stay, sit, lodge, remain.
Oura Town.
Lashool Nice (lachool. Irish).
Moïnni, or moryeni Good (min, pleasant. Gaelic).
Moryenni yook Good man.
Gyami Bad (cam. Gaelic). Probably the origin of the common canting term gammy, bad.
Ishkimmisk Drunk (misgeach. Gaelic)
Roglan A four-wheeled vehicle.
Lorch A two-wheeled vehicle.
Smuggle Anvil.
Granya Nail.
Riaglon Iron.
Gūshūk Vessel of any kind.
Tédhi, thédi Coal; fuel of any kind.
Grawder Solder.
Tanyok Halfpenny. (Query tāni, little, Romany, and nyok, a head.)
Chlorhin To hear.
Sūnain To see.
Salkaneoch To taste, take.
Mailyen To feel (cumail, to hold. Gaelic).
Crowder String.
Sobyé (?)
Mislain Raining (mizzle?).
Goo-ope, gūop Cold.
Skoichen Rain.
Thomyok Magistrate.
Shadyog Police.
Bladhunk Prison.
Bogh To get.
Salt Arrested, taken.
Straihmed A year.
Gotherna, guttema [A very rare old word.] Policeman.
Dyūkās, or Jukas Gorgio, Gentile; one not of the class.
Misli Coming, to come, to send.
To my-deal To me.
Lychyen People.
Grannis Know.
Skolaia To write.
Skolaiyami A good scholar.
Nyok Head.
Lurk Eye.
Menoch Nose.
Glorhoch Ear.
Koris Feet.
Tashi shingomai To read the newspaper.
Gorheid Money.
Tomgarheid (i.e. big money) Gold.
Skawfer, skawper Silver.
Tomnumpa Bank-note.
Terri Coal.
Ghoi Put.
Nyadas Table.
Kradyin Being, lying.
Tarryin Rope.
Kor’heh Box.
Miseli Quick.
Krad’hyī Slow.
Th-mddusk Door.
Khaihed Chair (khahir. Irish).
Bord Table.
Grainyog Window.
Rūmog Egg.
Aidh Butter.
Okonneh A priest. Thus explained in a very Irish manner: “Okonneh, or Koony, is a sacred man, and kunī in Romany means secret. An’ sacret and sacred, sure, are all the same.”
Shliéma Smoke, pipe.
Munches Tobacco.
Khadyogs Stones.
Yiesk Fish (iasg. Gaelic).
Cāb Cabbage.
Cherpin Book. This appears to be vulgar. Llyower was on second thought declared to be the right word. (Leabhar, Gaelic.)
Misli dainoch To write a letter; to write; that is, send or go.
Misli to my bewr Write to my woman.
Gritche Dinner.
Gruppa Supper.
Goihed To leave, lay down.
Lūrks Eyes.
Ainoch Thing.
Clisp To fall, let fall.
Clishpen To break by letting fall.
Guth, gūt Black.
Gothni, gachlin Child.
Styémon Rat.
Krépoch Cat.
Grannien With child.
Loshūb Sweet.
Shum To own.
L’yogh To lose.
Crīmūm Sheep.
Khadyog Stone.
Nglou Nail.
Gial Yellow, red.
Talosk Weather.
Laprogh Bird.
Madel Tail.
Carob To cut.
Lūbran, luber To hit.
Thom Violently.
Mish it thom Hit it hard.
Subli, or soobli Man (siublach, a vagrant. Gaelic).

There you are, readers! Make good cheer of it, as Panurge said of what was beyond him. For what this language really is passeth me and mine. Of Celtic origin it surely is, for Owen gave me every syllable so garnished with gutturals that I, being even less of one of the Celtes than a Chinaman, have not succeeded in writing a single word according to his pronunciation of it. Thus even Minklers sounds more like minkias, or pikias, as he gave it.

To the foregoing I add the numerals and a few phrases:—

Hain, or heen One.
Do Two.
Tri Three.
Ch’air, or k’hair Four.
Cood Five.
Shé, or shay Six.
Schaacht, or schach’ Seven.
Ocht Eight.
Ayen, or nai Nine.
Dy’ai, djai, or dai Ten.
Hinniadh Eleven.
Do yed’h Twelve.
Trin yedh Thirteen.
K’hair yedh, etc. Fourteen, etc.
Tat ’th chesin ogomsa That belongs to me.
Grannis to my deal It belongs to me.
Dioch maa krady in in this nadas I am staying here.
Tash émilesh He is staying there.
Boghin the brass Cooking the food.
My deal is mislin I am going.
The nidias of the kiéna don’t granny what we’re a tharyin The people of the house don’t know what we’re saying.

This was said within hearing of and in reference to a bevy of servants, of every hue save white, who were in full view in the kitchen, and who were manifestly deeply interested and delighted in our interview, as well as in the constant use of my note-book, and our conference in an unknown tongue, since Owen and I spoke frequently in Romany.

That bhoghd out yer mailya You let that fall from your hand.