an
Irishman. They glory in contradictions and mystification. I was at an
encampment a few days ago, and out of the twenty-five men and women and
forty children there were not three that could talk Romany, and there was
not one who could spell a single word of it. Their language, like
themselves, was Indian enough, no doubt, when they started on their
pilgrimage many centuries ago; but, as a consequence of their mixing with
the scum of other nations in their journey westward, the charm in their
language and themselves has pretty nearly by this time vanished. If I
were to attempt to write a book about their language it would not do the
Gipsies one iota of good. "God bless you" are words the Gipsies very
often use when showing their kindness for favours received, and, as a
kind of test, I have tried to find out lately if there were any Gipsies
round London who could tell me what these words were in Romany, and I
have only found one who could perform the task. They all shake their
heads and say, "Ours is not a language, only slang, which we use when
required." Taking their slang generally, according to Grellmann,
Hoyland, Borrow, Smart, and Crofton, there is certainly nothing very
elevating about it. Worldliness, sensuality, and devilism are things
helped forward by their gibberish. Words dealing with honesty,
uprightness, fidelity, industry, religion, cleanliness, and love are very
sparse.

William Stanley, a converted Gipsy, said, some years since, that "God
bless you" was in Romany, Artmee Devillesty; Smart and Crofton say it is,
Doovel, parav, parik toot, tooti. In another place they say it is Doovel
jal toosa. Mrs. Simpson says it is, Mi-Doovel-kom-tooti. Mrs. Smith
says it is Mi-Doovel Andy-Paratuta.

The following are the whole of the slang words Smart and Crofton have
under the letters indicated, and which words are taken principally from
Grellmann, Hoyland, Borrow, and Dr. Paspati:--

I.

I, Man, me, mandi, manghi.

Ill, Nasfelo, naffelo doosh.

Illness, Naffelopen.

Ill-tempered, Korni.

Imitation, Foshono.

Immediately, Kenaw sig.

In, Adre, dre, ando, inna.

Indebted, Pazerous.

Inflame, Katcher.

Injure, Dooka.

Inn, Kitchema.

Innkeeper, Kitchemeng