A Mini Mapping of Linguistical Rommishness

[thewaterling]

I have always been keenly interested in gypsy (Rom/Romani/Roma/Sinti/Gitano/Tzigane) culture, language, beliefs etc. But now I get to research it for a project someone ELSE has me doing. *glee*

For those who are interested, here's an extremely wee smattering of (given that this is an entire, functioning, multi-dialectical, current-as-well-as-ancient AND multi-national language) Romani words and phrases I found interesting, useful for said upcoming project, or just plain neat. :)

Bits and Pieces of (Generalized) Romani Lexicon

Gadje - Outsider(s), non-Roma noun
Gadjo - non-gypsy man
Gadji - non-gypsy woman
Gadjikane - non-Roma adjective
Dili - retarded/crazy
Beng - Devil
Dosta - Enough
Covexani - Witch
Drab - herb
Draba - spells/charms
Amria - gypsy curses
Drabaripé/Drabarimos - fortelling the future
Drabarni/Drabardi - female fortune teller
Drabarni/Drabengi - female healer
Drabarno - male fortune teller
Johai - ghost's vomit
Kesali - forest spirit
Khan/kan - fart
Khantino - smelly
Khul - shit
Koro - blind
Machka - cat
Magherdo - unclean
Marimé - pollution gained from contact w/the dead. uncleanliness, bad luck/bad juju
Martiya - spirit of the night
Muló - spirit of the dead
Muló - living dead
Nivasi - water spirit/mermaid
Ruv - Wolf
Sap - snake
Trushal Odji - hungry soul
Pani - Water
Shon - Moon
Vurma - Fixed contact points within the Romani society used for communication

Phrases -
Nais tuke - Thank you
Dza devlesa - God go with you
Zhan le Devlesa tai sastimasa - Go with God and in good health
Ashen Devlesa, Romale - May you remain with God
Ka xlia ma pe tute - I am going to shit on you
Mashkar le gadjende leski shib si le Romeski zor - Surrounded by the Gadje, the Rom's only defence is his tongue
Nashti zhas vorta po drom o bango - You cannot walk straight when the road is bent
Shuk tski khalpe la royasa - Beauty cannot be eaten with a spoon
T'aves mansa - Come with me
Ava kari - Come here

Numbers -
1 - Jek (ZHECK)
2 - Dui (DWEE)
3 - Trin
4 - Shtar
5 - Panj
6 - Shov
7 - Efta
8 - Otor (OH-tor)
9 - Enija (ah-NEE-ja)
10 - Desh

Neat, huh? For those of you who're also into Romani culture, who dig linguistics, or who just like learnin', I think this kind of thing is prrrrty interestin'- don't you? ^_^

An' dassall for me for tonight, y'all!
Peace-out! ;D