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Gypsey. Hindostanie. English. Ick, Ek Ek One Duj, Doj Du Two Trin, Tri Tin Three Schtar, Star Tschar Four Pantsch, Pansch Pansch Five Tschowe, Schow Tscho Six Efta Hefta, Sat Seven Ochto Aute Eight Desch, Des Des, Des Ten Bisch, Bis Bjs Twenty Diwes Diw Day Ratti Rateh Night Cham, Cam Kam The Sun Schan Tschand The Moon Panj Panj Water Sonnikey Suna Gold Rp Ruppa Silver Jiv Giuw Wheat Bl Bl The Hair Aok Awk The Eye Kan Kawn The Ear Nak Nakk The Nose Mui Mu The Mouth Dant Dant A Tooth Tschib Jibb The Tongue Sunjo Sunnj The Hearing Sunj Sunkh The Smell Sik Tschik The Taste Tschater Tschater A Tent Rajah Raja The Prince 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. “In the course of researches
which I have had occasion to pursue on the subject
of language, I have observed that Ludolfus, in his
history of Ethiopia, makes mention incidentally of
the Cingari, vel Errones Nubiani, and
gives a specimen of words which he had collected from
these people on his travels, with a view of determining
their origin. He discusses the opinions of various
writers concerning them; but forms no precise sentiment
of his own, concluding his observations with these
words: “Eadem vocabula, cum maximam
partem reperiam apud Vulcanium a centum fere
annis traditam, non fictitia existimo, ut
Megiferus putat nec corrupta ex aliis
linguis, neque Egyptiaca, sive Coptica.” In
English, thus: “Since I find according
to Vulcanius, that most of these words have been continued
traditionally for a period of nearly 100 years, I do
not consider them fictitious, as Megiferus supposes,
nor corrupted from other languages, either the Egyptian
or Coptic.” “I was surprised to find many
of the words familiar to my eye; and I pointed out
to Sir Joseph Banks, in the latter end of the year
1783, their evident correspondence with terms in the
Hindostanie, or as it is vulgarly termed in India,
the Moors’ language. “This similitude appeared to
me so extraordinary, that I was inclined to suspect
an error in the publication, which might have arisen
from a confusion of obscure vocabularies in the author’s
possession. The circumstance, however, determined
me to pay farther attention to the subject, and to
examine, in the first place, whether the language spoken
by the Gypsey tribes in England, and by those in the
remoter parts of the continent of Europe was one,
and the same; and then to ascertain, whether this
actually bore the affinity which so forcibly struck
me in Ludolfus, to any of the languages on the Continent
of India. “Through the obliging assistance
of Sir Joseph Banks, who has spared no pains to promote
this investigation, I procured an opportunity of obtaining
a list of words from our Gypsies, which I can depend
upon as genuine, and tolerably accurate in respect
to the pronunciation, from their being corroborated
also by words taken down, separately, by Sir Joseph,
and by Dr. Blagden. “Mr. Matra did me the favour
to transmit for me, a list of words to Turkey; and
from his ingenious friend B. Pisani, I received a complete
and satisfactory translation of them, together with
some information, respecting the manners of the Chingiares,
in the Turkish dominions, which, however, does not
come within the design of this paper, as I mean to
confine myself in the present communication, simply
to the question of similarity of language; which,
if established, I should esteem a matter of no little
curiosity; presuming it to be perfectly new to the
world. “Of this similarity, the learned
members of the Society will be enabled to form their
judgment from the annexed paper, exhibiting a comparison
of a few of the words procured from the different
quarters before mentioned, with the Hindostanie terms,
from the best published, and parole authorities.
It may not be unworthy of remark, that the general
appellation of these people in the eastern part of
Europe, is very nearly connected with that of the
inhabitants of Ceylon, in the East-Indies, who are
equally termed. Lingalese and Chingalese; though
at the same time it must be acknowledged, that the
language of this Island has much less correspondence
with that of the Gypsies, than many others of the Indian
dialects. “His Grace, the Archbishop of
York, with his usual discernment, suggested to me,
the probability that the Zingara here spoken of, may
have derived their name, and perhaps their origin
from the people called Langari, or Langarians, who
are found in the north-west parts of the Peninsula
of Hindostan, and infest the coasts of Guzerat and
Sindy with their piratical depredations. “The maritime turn of this numerous
race of people, with their roving and enterprising
disposition, may warrant the idea of occasional emigration
in their boats, by the coarse of the Red Sea. “Notwithstanding the resemblance
to the Hindostanie, is the predominant feature in
the Gypsey dialect, yet there are words interspersed,
which evidently coincide with other languages.
Besides the Mahratta, and Bengalese, which I have
marked in the comparative specimen, it is not a little
singular that the terms for the numerals seven,
eight, and nine, are purely Greek:
although the first five, and that for ten, are indisputably
Indian. It is also a curious observation, that
although the Indian term for seven is saath,
yet that for a week, or seven days; is the Eftan of
the latter. “One word only among those I
have examined, bears a resemblance to the Coptic,
which is rom, the same with romi, a man. “In comparisons of this nature,
a due allowance must be made, not only for the various
modes of spelling adopted by different persons, and
different nations, but also for the dissimilar manner
in which the same individual sound, strikes the organs
of the hearers; of which some pointed instances may
be given. “Should any be inclined to doubt,
which I scarcely suppose possible, the identity of
the Gypsey, or Cingari, and the Hindostanie languages,
still it will be acknowledged as no uninteresting
subject, that tribes wandering through the mountains
of Nubia, or the plains of Romania, have conversed
for centuries in a dialect precisely similar to that
spoken at this day, by, the obscure, despised, and
wretched people in England, whose language has been
considered as a fabricated gibberish, and confounded
with a cant in use among thieves and beggars; and whose
persons have been, till within the period of a year,
an object of the persecution, instead of the protection
of our laws.” William
Marsden. In the 386th page of the 7th Vol.
of Archaeologia, is the comparative view of the English
Gypsey, Turkish Gypsey, and Hindostanie dialects; a
specimen of which will be presented in this section. In page 387 of the same volume, are
collections on the Zingara, or Gypsey language, by
Jacob Bryant, Esq. transmitted to G. Salusbury Brereton,
Esq. in a letter from Doctor Douglas, read 1785:
This learned traveller, when in Hungary, had taken
from the mouths of Gypsies, specimens of their language,
which occupy seven pages. It is remarkable, that
of seventeen words obtained and enumerated in the
letters of Coxe, the learned traveller, fourteen appear
to resemble most exactly those of the same signification,
collected by Jacob Bryant John
Douglas. COMPARISON OF THE GYPSEY, TURKISH, AND HINDOSTANIE LANGUAGES.
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English. English Gypsey. Turkish Gypsey. Cingari vel Errones Nubiani. Hindostanie. One Aick Yeck Aick, ek, Yek Two Dooce Duy Du, Dow Three Trin Trin Trin Four Staur, Shtar Shtiar Chaur Five Panji Panch Paunch Six Shove Shove Chaye Seven Heftan Efta Saath Eight Okto Aoth Aut Nine Henya Enia Noh Nu Ten Desh Desh Dus, Doshe (Bengalese) Man Raye, gazo Ram Manush Manusch Manoosha, (Bengalese) Woman Raunee gougee Romee Rendee, Raunee Head Bold-uroo shero Shero Schiero Seer, Sirr Eyes Yackau, yock Yack Jaka Okhyo (Bengalese) Nose Bol-nak Nack Nak Nauck Hair Ballau, bolow Bal Bal Baul, Bal Teeth Danau Dan Daunt, Dant (Bengalese) Ear Kanaue Can Kaun Day Dewas, Devas Deeves Deendeewas (Mahratta) Night Rautee Rateee Raut, roat White Pauno Parnee Paandra (Mahratta) Sheep Baukro Bakro Bhare Hog Baulo Balo Palo Fish Matcho Muteho Matchee, Mutchee Bind Cheriko Chiriiklo Chereah House Kair Ker Ghurr Gold Soona-kai Sonna Silver Roop Roopau Brand, in his observations on Popular
Antiquities, Vol. II. page 432, observes:
“The Gypsies, as it should seem from some striking
proofs derived from their language, were originally
from Hindostan, where they are supposed to have been
of the lowest class of Indians, named Pariars, or
as they are called in Hindostan, Suders. They
are thought to have emigrated about A.D. 1408, or
1409, when Timur Beg ravaged India for the purpose
of spreading the Mahometan religion. On this
occasion so many were made slaves, and put to death,
that a universal panic took place, and a very great
number of terrified inhabitants endeavoured to save
themselves by flight. “As every part to the north
and east was beset by the enemy, it is most probable
that the country below Multan, to the mouth of the
Indus, was the first asylum and rendezvous of the
fugitive Suders. This is called the country
of Zinganen. Here they were safe, and remained
so till Timur’s return from the victory of the
Ganges. Then it was that they entirely quitted
the country, and probably with them a considerable
number of the natives, which will explain the meaning
of their original name.” In the seventh Vol. of the Asiatic
Researches, page 470, Captain David Richardson says
of the Panchperee, or Budee’a Nuts:
“’Tis probable there will be found in
their manners, a stronger similitude to the Gypsies
of Europe, than in those of any other which may come
under review. They have no particular system
of religion, adopting with indifference that of the
village near to which they happen to be encamped.
In the upper provinces of Hindostan, the little encampments
of these people are frequently very regular and neat,
being there formed of the Sirkee entirely. Each
apartment, though not much larger than a mastiff’s
kennel, has its own particular enclosure, or court-yard;
generally erected in such a manner, as to become a
species of circumvallation to the whole portable hamlet. “One cannot help wondering where
so many men, women, and children, and other domestic
animals manage to sleep; or shelter themselves from
the storms which sometimes assail these itinerant
people. The men are remarkably athletic and
active, and also nimble and adroit, in every kind
of slight of hand. Many of the subdivisions of
this class of men, pay little, or no attention to
cleanliness, or any restrictions in diet; eating dead
jackalls, bullocks, horses, or any kind of food procurable. “The women do not attend the
men during their juggling exploits, but have a peculiar
department allotted to themselves; which consists of
the practice of physic, cupping, palmistry, curing
disorders of the teeth, and marking the skin of the
Hindoo women, an operation termed Godna. They
have two languages peculiar to themselves; one intended
for the use only of the craftsman, the other general
among men, women, and children. “The Hindostanie is the basis
of both; the first is general, being a mere transposition
or change of syllables; and the second apparently,
a systematic conversion of a few letters; but which
will be best elucidated by the following specimen,
which contains twenty-two words.” After which, he says: “I
find these people in Colebrook’s arrangement
of the Hindoo Classes, mentioned in the sixth class,
under the head of Nata, Bazeegurs; and in Sir
William Jones’s translation of the Ordinances
of Menu, Munoo, Chapter 10. “I shall now subjoin a short
parallel between the Gypsies of Europe, and the people
I have described. Both the Gypsies and
the Nuts are generally a wandering race of
beings, seldom having a fixed habitation. They
have each a language peculiar to themselves.
That of the Gypsies is undoubtedly a species of Hindostanie;
as well as that of the Nuts. In Europe, it answers
all the purposes of concealment. “The Gypsies have their King,
the Nuts their Nardar Boutoh; they are equally
formed into companies, and their peculiar employments
are exactly similar; dancing, singing, music, palmistry,
&c. They are both considered as thieves; at
least that division of the Nuts, whose manners come
nearest the Gypsies. In matters of religion
they appear equally indifferent, and as to food, we
have seen that neither the Gypsies nor the Budee’a
Nuts are very choice. “Though, in the Encyclopædia
Britannica, Grellmann’s Theory is thought slightly
of, the similarity of language being deemed but inconclusive
evidence; yet in this instance, and even in opposition
to such authority, I will venture to consider it,
as forming a basis of the most substantial kind.
It is not the accidental coincidence of a few words,
but the whole vocabulary he produces, differs not
so much from the common Hindostanie, as provincial
dialects of the same country do from each other. “Grellmann, from a want of knowledge
in the Hindostanie; as to its provincial dialects,
lost many opportunities of producing the proper word
in comparison with the Gypsey one. “The following list of words
was taken from the Annual Register of 1784, or 1785,
with a few I have now subjoined from Grellmann. In
some of the instances where he has failed of producing
the corresponding Hindostanie word, the supply of
them will, I hope, prove the language of the Gypsies,
and that of Hindostan to be the same, or very intimately
connected with each other.
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Gypsey. Hindostanie. English. Bebee Beebe Aunt, a respectful feminine termination from baba, Father. Pawnee Paniee Brook, Drink, Water Cauliban Kalaburn Black Davies, Devus Dewus Day Rattie Rat Dark night Can Kan The Ear Dad Dada Father Mutchee Muchee Fish Bootsee Buholsee Great Gur Ghur House Shing Seen Horn Tuttoo Tutta Heat Riah Raye Lord Rriena Ra, enee Lady Dai Daee Mother Mass Mas Meat or food Nack Nak Nose Bouropanee Bura-panee Ocean, wave Loon Loon Salt Rook Rook, h A Tree Tschar Char A Thief Mul Mool Wine
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