During the short interview which I had with these Gipsies, I collected the following words:
- Gaugie, man.
- Riah, gentleman.
- Raunie, lady.
- Vast, hand.
- Sonnakie, gold.
- Sonnakie vanister, gold ring.
- Roug, silver.
- Lowie, money.
- Grye, horse.
- Aizel, ass.
- Jucal, dog.
- Matchka, cat.
- Baurie, great.
- Vile, village.
- Baurie vile, large village.
- Nawken, Gipsy.
- Davies, day.
- Beenship davies, Nawken, good-day, Gipsy.
- Pen yer naam? what is your name?
- Shucha, coat.
- Calshes, breeches.
- Gogle, hat.
- Coories, blankets.
- Roys, spoons.
- Skews, platters.
- Habben kairer, baker of bread.
The method I adopted with them, as I have already hinted, was to ask them the English of the words I gave them in Gipsy, so that the answers I got were confirmations of the same words collected from other individuals, and which I drew from memory for the occasion. Had I attempted to write down any of their sentences, it would have instantly shut the door to all further conversation on the subject, and, in all probability, the Gipsies would have taken to their heels, muttering imprecations against me for having insulted them. Of this I was satisfied, that had I really been acquainted with their speech, these Gipsy children could have kept up a regular and connected conversation with me, with the greatest fluency, and without their sentences being intermixed with any English or Scotch words whatever, a fact which has been repeatedly stated to me by the Gipsies.
In confirmation of these facts, I shall transcribe a letter addressed to me by the gentleman who was present on the occasion.[198]
Inverkeithing, 25th May, 1829.
“My Dear Sir:
“Agreeably to your desire, I have looked over that part of your manuscript of the Scottish Gipsies which details the particulars of a short and accidental interview which we had with a woman and four children, whom we met near Inverkeithing Manse, on the 22d inst., and who turned out to be Gipsies. I have no hesitation in averring that your statements, to my knowledge, are substantially correct—being present during the whole conversation which took place with the individuals mentioned. It was the first time I ever heard the Gipsy language spoken, and it appeared quite evident that those Gipsies could converse, in a regular and connected manner, on any subject, without making use of a single English word; and which particularly appeared from the questions which they put to you, as well as from the conversation which they had among themselves, in their own peculiar speech: and that, otherwise, the woman and children had not, in the colour of their hair, complexion, and general appearance, any resemblance to those people whom I always considered to be Gipsies. I am, &c.,
“JAMES H. COBBAN,
Deputy Compt. of Customs, Inverkeithing.
“Mr. Walter Simson,
Supt. of Quarantine, Inverkeithing.”[199]
I have already mentioned having succeeded in obtaining a few words of Gipsy, from two sisters, of the name of Jamieson, who came begging to my door. I had reason to suppose they would acquaint their relatives of having been questioned in their own speech, and would greatly exaggerate my knowledge of it; for I always observed that the individuals with whom I conversed were at first impressed with a belief that I knew much more of it than I really did.