Wikipedia

Names of the Romani people

TheRomani peopleare known by a variety ofnames,mostly asGypsies,Roma, Romani,Tsinganoi,Bohémiens,and various linguistic variations of these names. There are also numerous subgroups and clans with their own self-designations, such as theSinti,Kalderash,Boyash,Manouche,Lovari,Lăutari,Machvaya,Romanichal,Romanisael,Calé,Kale,Kaale,Xoraxai,Xaladytka,Romungro,UrsariandSevlengere.

Romais the primary term used in political contexts to refer to the Romani people as a whole.[1][2]Because all Roma use the wordRomanias an adjective, Romani began to be used as an alternative noun for the entire ethnic group.[3]It is used by organizations such as theUnited Nationsand the US Library of Congress.[4]However, theWorld Roma Congress,theCouncil of Europeand other organizations use the termRomato refer to Romani people around the world, and recommend thatRomanibe restricted to the language and culture: Romani language, Romani culture.[5][6][7][8]

In the English language (according to theOxford English Dictionary),Romis a noun (with the pluralRomaorRoms) and an adjective, whileRomaniis also a noun (with the pluralRomanies) and an adjective. BothRomandRomanihave been in use in English since the 19th century as an alternative forGypsy.Romaniis also spelledRomany,orRommany.[9]

Sometimes,RomandRomaniare spelled with a doubler,i.e.,rromandrromani,particularly inRomaniain order to distinguish from the Romanianendonym(români), to which it has no relation. This is well established in Romani itself, since it represents a phoneme (/ʀ/ also written asřandrh) which in some Romani dialects has remained different from the one written with a singler.[4]

Etymology

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Thedemonymsof the Romani people,LomandDomshare the same etymological origin,[10][11]reflectingSanskritḍoma"a man of low caste, living by singing and music."[12][13]

The ultimate origin of the Sanskrit termḍoma(perhaps fromMundaorDravidian) is uncertain.[14]Its stem,ḍom,is connected with drumming, linked with the Sanskrit verbal rootḍam-'to sound (as a drum)', perhaps a loan fromDravidian,e.g.Kannadaḍamāra'a pair of kettle-drums', andTeluguṭamaṭama'a drum,tomtom'.[15]

Gypsyandgipsy

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The English termgypsyorgipsy[16]is commonly used to indicateRomani people,[17]and use of the wordgipsyin modern-dayEnglishis pervasive (and is a legal term under English law—seebelow), and some Romani organizations use it in their own organizational names, particularly in theUnited Kingdom.In the UK, the word Gypsy forms part of theGypsy, Roma and Travellerdesignation, to represent Romani people from groups who have resided in the UK since the 16th century, as opposed toRoma,who are understood to be linked to more recent migrations.[18][19]

The word, while sometimes positively embraced by Romani persons, is also sometimes rejected by other Romani persons as offensive due to it being tainted by its use as aracial slurand a pejorative connotation implying illegality and irregularity,[20]and some modern dictionaries either recommend avoiding use of the wordgypsyentirely or give it a negative or warning label.[21]

ABritishHouse of CommonsCommittee parliamentary inquiry, as described in their report "Tackling inequalities faced by Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities" (published 2019),[22]stated about their findings in theUnited Kingdomthat: "We asked many members of the Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities how they preferred to describe themselves. While some find the term" Gypsy "to be offensive, many stakeholders and witnesses were proud to associate themselves with this term and so we have decided that it is right and proper to use it, where appropriate, throughout the report."

TheOxford English Dictionarystates a 'gipsy' is a

member of a wandering race (by themselves called Romany), ofIndianorigin, which first appeared in England about the beginning of the 16th c.

The first usage of the word in English found by the OED was 1514, with several more usages in the same century, and bothEdmund SpenserandWilliam Shakespeareused this word.[23]

Thisexonymis sometimes written with a capital letter, to show that it designates anethnic group.[24]The Spanish termgitano,the French termgitanand the Basque termijitohave the same origin.[25]

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the name was written in various ways:Egipcian,Egypcian,'gypcian.The wordgipsy/gypsycomes from the spellings which had lost the initial capitalE,and that is one reason that it is often spelled with the initialgin lowercase.[26]As time elapsed, the notion of "the gipsy/gypsy" altered to include other associatedstereotypessuch asnomadismandexoticism.[27]John Matthews inThe World Atlas of Divinationrefer to gypsies as "Wise Women".[28] Colloquially,gipsy/gypsyis used refer to any person perceived by the speaker as fitting thegypsy stereotypes.[29]

Use in English law

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The termgipsyhas had several overlapping meanings underEnglish Law.In theCaravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960,gipsies(not capitalised) were defined as "persons[30]of nomadic habit of life, whatever their race or origin, but does not include members of an organised group of travelling showmen, or persons engaged in travelling circuses, travelling together as such ".[31]This particular definition included non-Romani groups asIrish Travellers.[32][30]However, it is commonly understood that the term is in fact an exonym for the Romani people.[33]It originates fromEgyptian(a historical name for Romani people in Britain).[34]

Romani "gipsies" have been a recognised ethnic group for the purposes ofRace Relations Act 1976sinceCommission for Racial Equality v Dutton 1989,as haveIrish Travellersin England and Wales sinceO'Leary v Allied Domecq 2000(having already gained recognition in Northern Ireland in 1997).[32][35]

List of names

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Gypsy/Gipsy

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In several countries, Romani people were thought to come from Egypt.

Tsinganoi

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In much ofcontinental Europe,they are known by names related to theGreektermτσιγγάνοι(tsinganoi):

The name originates withByzantine Greekἀτσίγγανοι(atsinganoi,Latinadsincani) orἀθίγγανοι(athinganoi,literally "untouchables" ), a term applied to the sect of theMelchisedechians.[40][41][42]TheAdsincaniappear in an 11th-century text preserved in Mt Athos,The Life ofSaint George the Athonite(written in the Georgian language), as "a Samaritan people, descendants ofSimon the Magician,named Adsincani, who were renowned sorcerers and villains ". In the text, emperorConstantine Monomachosemploys the Adsincani to exterminate wild animals, who were destroying the game in the imperial park ofPhilopation.[43]

An alternative etymological approach traces the Greektsiganos/atsiganosto the Sanskritatingan(in)andtyāgan(in),with the meaning ‘nomad, migrant, searcher, traveller’.[44]

Bohémiens

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Because many Roma living in France had come viaBohemia,they were referred to asBohémiens.[45]This term would later be adapted by the French to refer to a particular artistic and impoverished lifestyle of an individual, known asBohemianism.

  • Basque:buhame(in the Northern dialects)[46][47]

Roma

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Other

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  • Albanian:Arixhi (handler of bears)
  • Arabic:غجرghájar
  • Azerbaijani:Qaraçı
  • Estonian:mustlased
  • Finnish:mustalaiset
  • Georgian:ბოშებიbošebi
  • Hebrew:צוענים‎tsoʿănim(from the citySoanin Egypt)
  • Kurdishقەرەچی,qaraçı(from Turkish);دۆم,dom
  • Mingrelian:ჩაჩანეფიçaçanephi
  • Spanish:calé[48]

In theEnglish-speaking world,Romani people are commonly known asGypsies, Romani Gypsies,Romany Gypsies, RomaniandRomanies.

The Romani of England are commonly known asGypsiesorRomani,orRomanichalinAngloromani.The Romani ofScandinaviaare commonly known asRomerorTater,orRomanisaelinScandoromani.In German-speaking Europe, the self-designation isSinti,in FranceManush,while the groups of Spain, Wales, and Finland useCalé,KaléandKaale(fromkalomeaning "black" in Romani language). Following the firstWorld Romani CongressinLondon,usage of the Romani termsRom(singular) andRoma(plural), have become increasingly widespread inCentral and Eastern Europe.[8][49]

While many Romani people feel compelled to hide their identity in fear of persecution,[50]some people of Romani heritage do not consider themselves to be Romani.[51]

InBulgaria,a number of people of Romani heritage identify as Turks or Bulgarians and some identify as Romanians.[52]

See also

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References

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  1. ^p. 13 in Illona Klimova-Alexander's The Romani Voice in World Politics: The United Nations and Non-State Actors (2005, Burlington, VT.: Ashgate
  2. ^Rothéa, Xavier."Les Roms, une nation sans territoire?"(in French).Retrieved2008-07-31.
  3. ^Hancock, Ian F (2002).We Are the Romani People, Pg XX.Univ of Hertfordshire Press.ISBN978-1-902806-19-8.Retrieved2008-07-31.
  4. ^abHancock, Ian F (2002).We Are the Romani People, Pg XXI.Univ of Hertfordshire Press.ISBN978-1-902806-19-8.Retrieved2008-07-31.
  5. ^Hancock, Ian F (2002).We Are the Romani People, Pg XIX.Univ of Hertfordshire Press.ISBN978-1-902806-19-8.Retrieved2008-07-31.
  6. ^Nicolae, Valeriu; Slavik, Hannah (2007-07-01).Roma diplomacy, Pg 16.ISBN978-1-932716-33-7.Retrieved2008-07-31.
  7. ^Roma, Sinti, Gypsies, Travellers...The Correct Terminology about RomaArchived2014-07-19 at theWayback Machineat In Other WORDS project – Web Observatory & Review for Discrimination alerts & Stereotypes deconstruction
  8. ^ab"Roma".romarchive.eu.Retrieved2024-07-28.
  9. ^*Definitionat dictionary.cambridge.org
  10. ^The Institute for Middle East UnderstandingArchived2007-05-23 at theWayback Machine
  11. ^Online Etymology Dictionary –Douglas Harper
  12. ^McArthur, T. (ed.)The Oxford Companion to the English Language(1992)Oxford University PressISBN0-19-214183-X
  13. ^Monier-Williams,Sanskrit-English Dictionary(1899)
  14. ^Abhijit Ghosh,Non-Aryan linguistic elements in the Atharvaveda: a study of some words of Austric origin,Sanskrit Pustak Bhandar, 2000, p. 10, 76.
  15. ^T. Burrow and M.B. Emeneau,A Dravidian Etymological Dictionary2nd ed. (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1984), p. 257, entry #2949.
  16. ^From the Oxford English Dictionary (second edition, 1989; online version December 2011) Etymology section for the word gipsy:

    From the quotations collected for the dictionary, the prevalent spelling of late years appears to have been gipsy. The plural gypsies is not uncommon, but the corresponding form in the singular seems to have been generally avoided, probably because of the awkward appearance of the repetition of y.
  17. ^Wolniak, Michal (2019) [2016]. "Travelling through Shades of Whiteness: Irish Travellers as Inferior Whites". In Kirkland, Ewan (ed.).Shades of Whiteness.LeidenandBoston:Brill Publishers.pp.119–131.doi:10.1163/9781848883833_011.ISBN978-1-84888-383-3.S2CID201423395.
  18. ^"The Importance of accurate ethnic monitoring and data inclusion for GRT communities"(PDF).The Traveller Movement.Retrieved7 January2024.
  19. ^"Frequently Asked Questions".Friends, Families and Travellers.2021-07-21.Retrieved2024-11-30.
  20. ^
  21. ^
  22. ^House of Commons Women & Equalities Committee (5 April 2019)."Tackling inequalities faced by Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities".UK Parliament.Retrieved13 May2021.
  23. ^Oxford English Dictionary 2nd Edition 1989. "Gipsy, gypsy, n."
  24. ^Hancock, Ian (1995).A Handbook of Vlax Romani.Slavica Publishers. p. 17.ISBN978-0-89357-258-7.
  25. ^"gitan"(in French).Dictionnaire de l'Académie française.Archived fromthe originalon 2007-08-07.Retrieved2007-08-26.Emprunté de l'espagnolgitano,gitana,altération deEgiptano,proprement «Égyptien», car on attribuait aux bohémiens une origine égyptienne.
  26. ^Hancock, Ian F. (2002).We are the Romani people.Univ of Hertfordshire Press. p.xxi.ISBN978-1-902806-19-8.
  27. ^"Hancock, IanThe 'Gypsy' stereotype and the sexualisation of Romani women".Archived fromthe originalon 2011-07-17.Retrieved2010-07-08.
  28. ^Matthews, John (6 October 1994)."9".The world atlas of divination: the systems, where they originate, how they work.Headline Book Publishing. p. 81.ISBN978-0-7472-7928-0.
  29. ^Hancock, Ian."PERSPECTIVES The Struggle for the Control of Identity".Roma Participation Program. pp.1–8. Archived fromthe originalon 2009-04-09.Retrieved2009-05-11.
  30. ^abThomas Acton.Human Rights as a Perspective on Entitlements: The Debate over 'Gypsy Fairs' in EnglandArchived2011-08-25 at theWayback Machine,Essex Human Rights ReviewArchived2010-04-23 at theWayback MachineVol. 1 No. 1. July 2004, pp. 18–28, ISSN 1756-1957. See footnote 5 page 19 (page 2 of the PDF document).
  31. ^Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960 (c.62)The UK Statute Law Database.
  32. ^abRavi Low-BeerChallenging Gypsy planning policies occasional discussion paper number 1,Traveller Law Research Unit, Cardiff Law School, P O Box 427, Cardiff CF1 1XD. Retrieved 2008-10-09.
  33. ^"Gypsy, Roma, Traveller & Showmen culture - Support for schools and settings".2023-05-19.Retrieved2024-07-31.
  34. ^"Gypsy | Etymology of the name Gypsy by etymonline".etymonline.Retrieved2024-07-31.
  35. ^Traveller Law Research Unit,Cardiff University,(From March 1995 to December 2002). Retrieved 2008-10-09. Archived from original 2008
  36. ^"ijito – Orotariko Euskal Hiztegia bilaketa".euskaltzaindia.eus.
  37. ^"ijito – Harluxet Hiztegi Entziklopedikoa".www1.euskadi.net.
  38. ^Royal Galician Academy "cigano"
  39. ^Royal Galician Academy "cíngaro"
  40. ^White, Karin (1999)."Metal-workers, agriculturists, acrobats, military-people and fortune-tellers: Roma (Gypsies) in and around the Byzantine empire".Golden Horn.7(2). Archived fromthe originalon 2014-09-20.Retrieved2007-08-26.
  41. ^Bates, Karina."A Brief History of the Rom".Archived fromthe originalon 2010-06-15.Retrieved2010-01-09.
  42. ^"Book Reviews"(PDF).Population Studies.48(2):365–372. July 1994.doi:10.1080/0032472031000147856.Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 2009-09-14.
  43. ^P. Peeters, 'Histoire monastiques géorgiennes',Analecta Bollandiana,36–37, 1917–19.
  44. ^"The Etymology of the words țigan (gypsy) and (r)rom (romany)".romanianlanguage.org.2014-12-23.Retrieved2024-06-11.
  45. ^Achim, Viorel (2004).The Roma in Romanian History.Budapest: Central European University Press. p. 11.ISBN978-963-9241-84-8.OCLC54529869.
  46. ^"buhame".Orotariko Euskal Hiztegia(in Spanish) (10 ed.). Euskaltzaindia.Retrieved6 September2023.
  47. ^"buhame – Harluxet Hiztegi Entziklopedikoa".www1.euskadi.net.
  48. ^"calé".Diccionari de la lengua española(in Spanish) (23.6 ed.). RAE – ASALE. 2022.Retrieved6 September2023.
  49. ^"Institutionalisation and Emancipation".coe.int/education/roma.p. 3.
  50. ^"Fighting for Roma identity".eurozine.2022-08-22.Retrieved2024-07-28.
  51. ^p. 52 in Elena Marushiakova and Vesselin Popov's "Historical and ethnographic background; Gypsies, Roma, Sinti" in Will Guy [ed.] Between Past and Future: The Roma of Central and Eastern Europe [with a Foreword by Dr. Ian Hancock], 2001, UK: University of Hertfordshire Press
  52. ^"Roma in Bulgaria".Minority Rights Group.Retrieved2024-07-28.
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