A Historical Survey of the Customs, Habits, & Present State of the GypsiesHoyland, John
History
A Historical Survey of the Customs, Habits, & Present State of the Gypsies
Hoyland, John
Romanies
Puro Purana Old
Baro Burra Great
Kalo Kala Black
Grea Gorrra Horse
Jukel Dog
Maru Bread
Kil Butter
Ker Gurr House
It has already been observed, that in the Gypsey, as well as in the
Hindostanie language, the article is not placed before the noun, but
affixed behind it; and that is the sole indication of the case of a noun.
Grellmann has given examples of the declension of nouns, pronouns, and
adjectives, as well as the conjugation of verbs in both languages; but
the grammatical arrangement of them does not come within the design of
this work. The foregoing list of words is a selection of those that are
most similar: but in Grellmann’s extensive vocabulary, he says, it will
appear on the average, that every third Gypsey word, is likewise
Hindostanie.
It must be observed, that the words above recited, have been learned from
the Gypsies within a few years, consequently at a time when they had been
nearly four complete centuries away from Hindostan, their native country;
and among people who spoke languages totally different; in which also the
Gypsies conversed.
Under the constant and so long continued influx of these languages, their
own must necessarily have suffered some alteration; more especially as
they are a people entirely ignorant, either of writing or literature.
It does not appear that there is so much Persian in the Gypsey language,
as has been generally imagined; and even what there is of it, they may
have brought with them from their native country, as many Persian words
are current in Hindostan. We ought rather to wonder the number of
Hindostanie words in the Gypsey language, is so considerable, than to
require it should be greater, to furnish sufficient proof of the
Hindostanie language being the Gypsies’ mother tongue.
Since the laborious researches of Grellmann, extended intercourse with
India, has furnished unquestionable evidence in support of his
deductions. The first we shall introduce, is contained in the following
letter from William Marsden to Sir Joseph Banks, F.R.S. read to the
Society of Antiquaries in London, 1785.
“It has long been surmised, that the vagrant tribes of people called in
this country Gypsies, and on parts of the Continent of Europe, Cingari,
Zingari, and Chingali, were of eastern origin. The former name has been
supposed a corruption of Egyptian, and some learned men have judged it
not improbable that their language might be traced to the Coptic.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account