Romany language and culture

[ratty]

I’m a closet linguist, and lately I’ve been looking for more info on the Rom or Romany language, but haven’t been able to find much. Since language is so much a part of culture, I’m also interested in learning more about Romany culture itself, especially modern culture and practices. I know a bit about the history of the Romany people and the persecution which continues today in some parts of the world. Can anyone provide me with some information, links, book titles, etc. that may be useful? I’m especially interested in learning more about Rom grammar and syntax. The language itself would appear, like English, to be something of a polyglot with many borrowing of vocabulary from various and often unrelated languages, but I can’t find anything which relates directly to the structure of the language itself. I don’t even know which alphabet is used to write Rom.

I’ve also been unable to learn where Rom is most commonly spoken today, or if there are distinct dialects in different regions. Again, any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Major_Feelgud]

The Gypsies by Angus Fraser is a good book.

In a nutshell, the base of Romany is Sanskrit/Hindu that was progressively changed during the journey from India to Europe. The greatest influence seems to have been from Hungary/Romania where they stayed the longest.

There are distinctive dialects such as Greek, Welsh (!), Coppersmith, even Scandinavian!

Romani is most commonly spoken today where their concentrations are the greatest and where they are least integrated, i.e. Eastern Europe.

[Kal]

The Patrin web journal is probably the best online resource for information about Romani culture. You’ll also find a few bits about the Romani language there.

In terms of books, the ones I’d recommend include:

We are the Romani people

Gypsy Law: Romani Legal Traditions and Culture

The Pariah Syndrome: An account of Gypsy slavery and persecution - now out of print, but hosted online at the Patrin.

Handbook of Vlax Romani - the Vlax dialects are spoken by about 50% of Romani speakers, so this would be the best choice for you to focus on.

Books to avoid are anything written by Leyland or Borrow, mainly because they just made shit up.

There are over 60 different Romani dialects, divided into four main dialect groups. I’ll quote from ‘We are the Romani people’ to explain:

There are four main dialect gtoups [Told ya - me]: Southern (or Balkan), Vlax (or Danubian), Central and Northern. One example of a Southern dialect is Drindari, spoken in Bulgaria. Vlax dialects , such as Kalderash or Lovari Romani, are spoken by people decended from the slaves freed from the Romanian estates in the nineteenth century [See ‘The Pariah Syndrome’. It’s estimated that up to 50% of Europe’s Romani population were held in slavery for over 500 years - me]; the Central dialects include some of those spoken in Slovakia, Hungary and elsewhere, such as Bashaldo, while the Northern dialects include Sinti, Baltic, Finnish Kaalo Romani and the now-extinct dialects of Britain and the Iberian Peninsula. In some places in Europe, particularly in Britain, Spain, Scandanavia and parts of the Balkans, the original Romani has blended to such an extent with the surrounding European language that all it retains is the vocabulary, used in the grammatical framework of the local non-Romani language.

This form of Romani is known to me as pogadi chib (broken tongue) or posh ‘n’ posh (half and half). As explained in the quote, it’s Romani words used with English grammar. An example, from here is Luke 15.3-6:

Jesus pukkered them this parable: "Suppose tutti’s got a hundred bokros and yek of them’s nasherdi. Is there a mush among the lot of you as would not muk the waver ninety-nine in the bokro-puv and jel after the nasherdi bokro till he latchers it? Karna he’s latchered it he riggers it on his dummer, well-pleased he is. Karna he jels home he pukkers his friends and all the foki around: "Be happy with mandi, because I’ve found my nasherdi bokro.

You may also find the following links useful and/or interesting:

Romany voices

Romani Archive and Documentation Center

[Kal]

Just found this book, which is listed as a recommended source in ‘We are the Romani people’:

Romani - A Linguistic Introduction.

Out of my price range, but it looks as though you can read it online for free, if you install the ebrary Reader software.

[ratty]

Wow! Thanks so much for all the links & info, Kal. I’m heading for the bookstore tomorrow to see if I can pick up We Are the Romani People**. It sounds like a great resource for more in-depth stuff about culture & history.

I’m intrigued by the notion of the Rom language adapting itself to local languages; it appears to use some of the same conventions that are found in creoles. I’m hoping to install the ebrary reader program tonight so I can check out the link to the Romani Linguistic Introduction. (I’m almost peeing myself with excitement over the prospect of learning about a new language. God, I’m a geek.)

[MC_Master_of_Ceremonies]

There aresevral languages in thre Romani family tree:

http://www.ethnologue.com/show_family.asp?subid=653

There are also sevral languages which borrows heavily from Romani vocabulary but structurally belong to different parts of the Indo-European family:

Angloromani

Norwegian, Traveller

Romano-Serbian

[John_Mace]

I’m intrigued by the notion of the Rom language adapting itself to local languages; it appears to use some of the same conventions that are found in creoles.

Intrigued as in “surprised”? No offense, but wouldn’t one be surprised if it didn’t adapt to local languages and exhibit some creole-like features? Good luck in your research.