Compiled by a native Romani speaker, this reference covers and differentiates European and North American Kalderash terms and Romani grammar. Prefaced by a grammatical primer, containing more than 12,000 lexical items, and filled with countless real-world examples of idiomatic usage, the text is an indispensable resource for anyone looking to learn or work with Kalderash Romani.

This book deals with the Romani language. It does not teach the readers to speak the language. Rather, it deals with its origin, its current use and status, its beginning literature and films, and the way it is learned by children and much more. It shows that Romani is a language in its own right, with its own, unique grammatical system, dialects, and particular norms of language use. Pressure from the outside world has diminished the use of the language in some areas, but generally it is a thriving language, spoken by millions of people.

Pinkey's Dictionary, First Edition, over 10,000 words translated from English to Gypsy! Learn how to speak Gypsy!Over 500 Sentences, Rules, Traditions, and Superstitions from Birth to Death.

Romani has many dialects and no standard written form. This course of language lessons is based on the Romani language as spoken by the Kalderash Roma in Europe, the United States, Canada, and Latin America. The course is designed for lay people, and any grammatical and linguistic terms are explained in plain English.

A comprehensive A-to-Z reconstruction of the oral tradition of the Rom--gypsies--based on sources never before available in English • Presents the origin myths and magical traditions of the gypsies, including their legendary ties to Egypt, animal ancestors, and tree spirits • Examines the three major settings of gypsy folktales--the forest, the waters, and the mountain--and shows how their world is full of spirits • Shows how the religious concepts of the Rom testify to a profound syncretism of the pagan traditions and Christianity Although their own myths and their common name point to Egyptian origins for the gypsies, the Rom, as they call themselves, originated in India, as evidenced by studies of their language. They arrived in Europe in the ninth century and spread across the continent from East to West, reaching England in the 15th century and Scandinavia by the end of the 16th century. A nomadic people, these wanderers were reviled by local populaces wherever they went and regarded as misfits, intruders, foreigners, and thieves. Drawing on a number of sources never before available outside of Eastern Europe, Claude Lecouteux reconstructs the gypsy oral tradition to provide a comprehensive A-to-Z look at gypsy mythology, including their folktales, rites, songs, nursery rhymes, jokes, and magical traditions. His main source is material collected by Heinrich Adalbert von Wlislocki (1856-1907), an ethnologist who lived with gypsies in Romania, Transylvania, and Hungary in the latter half of the 19th century. He presents the origin myths of the gypsies, legends which form the ancestral memory of the gypsy tribes and often closely touch on their daily life. Lecouteux explores the full range of supernatural beings that inhabit the gypsy world, including fairies, undines, ogres, giants, dog-people, and demons, and he examines the three major settings of gypsy folktales--the forest, the waters, and the mountain, which they worshiped as a sacred being in its own right. He also reveals how coexisting with peoples of different religions led the gypsies to adapt or borrow stories and figures from these groups, and he shows how the religious concepts and sacred stories of the Rom testify to a profound syncretism of pagan traditions and Christianity. Complete with rare illustrations and information from obscure sources appearing for the first time in English, this detailed reference work represents an excellent resource for scholars and those seeking to reconnect to their forgotten gypsy heritage.

The A to Z of the Gypsies (Romanies) seeks to end such prejudice by clarifying the facts about this nomadic people. Through a chronology, an introductory essay, a bibliography, and hundreds of cross-referenced dictionary entries on significant persons, places, events, institutions, and aspects of culture, society, economy, and politics, the history of the Gypsies and their culture is told.

Originating in India, the Gypsies arrived in Europe around the 14th century, spreading not only across the entirety of the continent but also immigrating to the Americas. The first Gypsy migration included farmworkers, blacksmiths, and mercenary soldiers, as well as musicians, fortune-tellers, and entertainers. At first, they were generally welcome as an interesting diversion to the dull routine of that period. Soon, however, they attracted the antagonism of the governing powers, as they have continually done throughout the following centuries. The second edition of the Historical Dictionary of the Gypsies (Romanies) seeks to end such prejudice by clarifying the facts about this nomadic people. Through a list of acronyms, a chronology, an introductory essay, a bibliography, and hundreds of cross-referenced dictionary entries on significant persons, places, events, institutions, and aspects of culture, society, economy, and politics, the history of the Gypsies and their culture is told.

George Henry Borrow was an English author who wrote novels and travelogues based on his own experiences around Europe. Over the course of his wanderings, he developed a close affinity with the Romani people. This book looks at English Gypsy language.