ethnologists and philologists, I will leave for those learned gentlemen to deal with as they may think well. I will, however, say that, as regards their so-called language, it is neither more nor less than gibberish, not “full of sound and fury signifying nothing,” but full of “sound and fury” signifying something. They never converse with it openly among themselves for a good purpose, as the Frenchmen, Germans, Turks, Spaniards, or other foreigners do. Some of the old Gipsies have a thousand or more leading words made up from various sources, English, French, German, Spanish, Indian, &c., which they teach their children, and use in the presence of strangers with a certain amount of pride, and, at the same time, to throw dust into their eyes while the Gipsies are talking among themselves. They will in the same breath bless you in English and curse you in Romany; this I experienced myself lately while sitting in a tent among a dozen uninteresting-looking Gipsies, while they one and all were thanking me for taking steps to get the children educated. There was one among them who with a smile upon his face, was cursing me in Romany from his heart. Many writers differ in the spelling and pronunciation of Gipsy words, and what strikes me as remarkable is, the Gipsies themselves are equally confused upon these points. No doubt the confusion in the minds of writers arises principally from the fact that they have had their information from ignorant, lying, deceiving Gipsies. Almost all Gipsies have an inveterate hatred and jealousy towards each other, especially if one sets himself up as knowing more than John Jones in the next yard. One Gipsy would say paanengro-gújo means sailor, or water gentile, another Gipsy would say it means an Irishman, or potato gentile; another would say poovengri-gújo meant a sailor; another would say it means an Irishman. They glory in contradictions and mystification. I was at an encampment a few days ago, and out of the twenty-five men and women and forty children there were
not three that could talk Romany, and there was not one who could spell a single word of it. Their language, like themselves, was Indian enough, no doubt, when they started on their pilgrimage many centuries ago; but, as a consequence of their mixing with the scum of other nations in their journey westward, the charm in their language and themselves has pretty nearly by this time vanished. If I were to attempt to write a book about their language it would not do the Gipsies one iota of good. “God bless you” are words the Gipsies very often use when showing their kindness for favours received, and, as a kind of test, I have tried to find out lately if there were any Gipsies round London who could tell me what these words were in Romany, and I have only found one who could perform the task. They all shake their heads and say, “Ours is not a language, only slang, which we use when required.” Taking their slang generally, according to Grellmann, Hoyland, Borrow, Smart, and Crofton, there is certainly nothing very elevating about it. Worldliness, sensuality, and devilism are things helped forward by their gibberish. Words dealing with honesty, uprightness, fidelity, industry, religion, cleanliness, and love are very sparse.
William Stanley, a converted Gipsy, said, some years since, that “God bless you” was in Romany, Artmee Devillesty; Smart and Crofton say it is, Doòvel, pàrav, pàrik toot, toòti. In another place they say it is Doovel jal toosà. Mrs. Simpson says it is, Mi-Doovel-kom-tooti. Mrs. Smith says it is Mi-Doovel Andy-Paratuta.
The following are the whole of the slang words Smart and Crofton have under the letters indicated, and which words are taken principally from Grellmann, Hoyland, Borrow, and Dr. Paspati:—
I. | |
I, | Man, mè, màndi, mànghi. |
Ill, | Nàsfelo, nàffelo doosh. |
Nàffelopén. | |
Ill-tempered, | Kòrni. |
Imitation, | Foshono. |
Immediately, | Kenàw sig. |
In, | Adrè, dre, ando, inna. |
Indebted, | Pazerous. |
Inflame, | Katcher. |
Injure, | Dooka. |
Inn, | Kítchema. |
Innkeeper, | Kitchemèngro. |
Intestine, | Vénderi. |
Into, | Andè, adrè, drè. |
Ireland, | Hindo-tem, Hinditemeskro-tem. |
Irishman, | Hindi-temengro, poovengri gaujo. |
Irish Gipsy, | Efage. |
Iron, | Sáster, saàsta, saáshta. |
Iron, | Sástera. |
Is, | See. |
It, | Les. |
Itch, | Honj. |
J. | |
Jail, | Stèripen. |
Jews, | Midùvelesto-maùromèngri. |
Jockey, | Kèstermèngro. |
Judgment, | Bitchama. |
Jump, | Hokter hok òxta. |
Jumper, | Hoxterer. |
Just now, | Kenaw sig. |
Justice of the peace, | Chivlo-gaujo, chuvno-gaùjo, pòkenyus,poòkinyus. |
K. | |
Keep, | Righer, riker. |
Kettle, | Kekàvvi, kavvi. |
Key, | Klèrin klisin. |
Kick, | Del, dé. |
Maur. | |
Kin, | Simènsa. |
Kind, | Komelo komomuso. |
King, | Kràlis. |
Kingdom, | Kralisom tem. |
Kiss, | Chooma. |
Knee, | Chong, choong. |
Knife, | Choori chivomèngro chinomèngro. |
Knock, | Koor, dè. |
Know, | Jin. |
Knowing, | Yoki, jinomengro, jinomeskro. |
Q. | |
Quarrel, | Chíngar. |
Quarrel, | Chingariben, gòdli. |
Quart, | Troòshni. |
Queen, | Kralisi krailisi. |
Quick, | Sig. |
Quick, Be, | Sigo toot, rèssi toot kair àbba. |
Quietly, | Shookàr. |
The following dozen words will show, in some degree, the fearful amount of ignorance there is amongst them, even when using the language of their mother country, for England is the mother country of the present race of Gipsies. For—
| Expensive, | Expencival. |
| Decide, | Cide. |
| Advice, | Device. |
| Dictionary, | Dixen. |
| Equally, | Ealfully. |
| Instructed, | Indistructed. |
| Gentleman, | Gemmen. |
| Daunted, | Dauntment. |
| Spitefulness, | Spiteliness. |
| Habeas Corpus, | Hawcus paccus. |
| Increase, | Increach. |
| Submit, | Commist. |
I cannot find joy, delight, eternity, innocent, ever, everlasting, endless, hereafter, and similar words, and, on inquiry, I find that many of the Gipsies do not believe in an eternity, future punishment, or rewards; this belief, no doubt, has its effects upon their morals in this life.
The opinion respecting the Gipsy language at the commencement of the present century was, that it was composed only of cant terms, or of what has been called the slang of beggars; much of this probably was promoted and strengthened by the dictionary contained in a pamphlet, entitled, “The Life and Adventures of Bamfylde Moore Carew.” It consists for the most part of English words trumped up apparently not so much for the purpose of concealment as a burlesque. Even if used by this people at all, the introduction of this cant and slang as the genuine language of the community of Gipsies is a gross imposition on the public.
Rees, in his Encyclopædia, 1819, describes the Gipsies as “impostors and jugglers forming a kind of commonwealth among themselves, who disguise themselves in uncouth habits, smearing their faces and bodies, and framing to themselves a canting language, wander up and down, and under pretence of telling fortunes, curing diseases, &c., abuse the common people, trick them of their money, and steal all that they come at.”