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
For the purpose of comparing the language of English Gypsies with that of
the Continental, exhibited in Section VIII, the following list of words
was sent to James Corder, Broadstreet, Bloomsbury. He obtained from the
Gypsies in his neighbourhood, the translation affixed to them.
_English_. _Gypsey_.
One Yake
Two Duèe
Three Trin
Four Stor
Five Pan
Ten Dyche
Head Charro
Eyes Yock
Nose Nack
Bread Mor
Bread & butter Kil-môr
Beer Limbar
Hair Bâlo.
Cold day Shil-dewes
Hot day Tal-dewes
Ear Kau
Day Dewes
Night Raut
White Parnau
Sheep Bolko
Hog Borlo
Fish Marcho
House Kare
Gold Sonnekar
Silver Rupe
Dog Jukou
Horse Grarre
When it is known that Gypsies are unacquainted with letters, and that
James Corder, who took from the mouths of those in the parish called St.
Giles, the preceding Gypsey words, did not know of Grellmann’s
vocabulary, the coincidence appears very remarkable; but it is still more
so with the Turkish Gypsey specimen by Jacob Bryant, exhibited also in
the 8th Section. Robert Forster of Tottenham, who has been a coadjutor
in this work, transmitted the following collection of words obtained from
Gypsies in his neighbourhood.
_Gypsey_. _English_.
Parnee Water
Jewcal Dog
Maurau Bread
Kil-maurau Bread & butter
Lavenar Beer
Shill-deues Cold day
Taldu Hot day
Moila Ass
Gur Horse
In the conversation a clergyman had with the Bosswell gang, as published
in the Christian Guardian for 1812 and 1813, they told him _Chum_, was
the sun; _Chuu_, the moon; _Kalmàro_, bread and butter; and _Livina_,
drink. The first two of those words almost exactly accord with
Grellmann’s vocabulary, and the latter as nearly with Robert Forster’s
and James Corder’s collection from Gypsies in and about London.
From the comparative views which have been taken of Gypsey expressions in
various countries, there is reason to conclude that wherever they have
been scattered on the face of the earth, they have spoken and transmitted
the same language to their descendants. That it should have been
preserved by them, when among people of other tongues, throughout
centuries, for no purpose that we are acquainted with, but that of
concealment, is indeed astonishing.
SECTION XI.
Sentiments of various persons on the moral condition of the Gypsies
* * * * *
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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