Category:Gipsy

From Namespedia - Names Meaning and Origins

Romani or Romany, Gypsy or Gipsy language is usually included in the Central Indo-Aryan languages(same as Hindi, Bhili, Gujarati, Khandeshi, Rajasthani), belonging to the Indic branch of the Indo-European family. It is the language of the Roma and Sinti.It is not certified yet that the origin of the name Sinti is the same as that of the toponym for the Sindh region of southeastern Pakistan or is an European loanword in Romani.

In the nineteenth century new carried out research showed out the Romani language proves to be a Central Indo-Aryan,not a Middle Indo-Aryan,as some suggested. The main argument is that Romani has only two genders (masculine and feminine) while Middle Indo-Aryan languages generally had three genders (masculine, feminine and neuter).

Romani language is closely related to those spoken in central and northern India. This linguistic relationship indicates the Roma's and Sinti's geographical origin.The people known as Gypsies (or Tzigane, Zigeuner, etc) left the Indian subcontinent about 2000 years ago. They call themselves Rrom, meaning ‘man’ (feminine rromni). Loanwords in Romani make it possible to trace the pattern of their migration westwards. They came originally from what is now northern India and parts of Pakistan. Romani remained in the Indian Subcontinent until the tenth century. The influence of the Greek language points to a prolonged stay in Anatolia after the departure from South Asia. Then they scattered all across the world. This led to the development of local community distinctions. The local influences have affected the modern language, splitting it into a number of different dialects. While the language is nowhere official, some attempts were made by representatives from many countries to standardise their language so that it can be taught in schools.

Today Romani is spoken by small groups in 42 European countries. Romani, Panjabi, and Pothwari are related to each other, sharing some words and similar grammatical systems. The Romani language should not be confused with either Romanian (which is spoken by Romanians), or Romansh (which is spoken in parts of southeastern Switzerland).These are both Romance languages.

Romany names are usually those of the country of residence with surnames such as 'Smith' reflecting common trades amongst them. During the Middle Ages, bands of Gipsies traveled Europe asking for food and money. Only the name of the leader was recorded, and it is evident from the dates and places that certainly Andrew and Michael visited a large number of towns.