From: M G
Message: 2466
Date: 2000-05-19
----- Original Message -----
From: Simona Klemencic <simona_klemencic@...>
To: <cybalist@egroups.com>
Sent: mercoledì, 17 maggio, 2000 10.50
Subject: [TIED] Worm in the Roma language
> Are there any experts in the Roma (Gipsy) language in this group? I've
> come across their word kirmo or cermo meaning 'worm'.
Sorry I cannot help you with the word you requested,
but with all due respect, I would like to kindly offer you my modest opinion
on one other word you mentioned:
the Roma (Gipsy) language
Here in Romania from where I am writing,
the local Gypsies (Tzigani) are called by other Romanians and call
themselves
Tzigani or Rromi, with a quite recent preference (since 10 years as far as
I know ) from most of themselves (not all) to be called Rrom (singular) or
Rromi (plur).
Their language is called Rromani (adj.) or Tziganeasca (adj.).
I find that to call the Gipsy language the Roma (Gipsy) language could be
confusing with Latin, or Italian, my own language.
So, even if for respect of their recent preference for a certain term we
want to use it,
there is also a need of clarity which for the moment is satisfied by the
older term in brackets (Gipsy) but in a future perspective could be
satisfied only by the usage of a sufficiently differentiated term like using
the double RR at the beginning and the final in i (so perhaps it would be
better if we could speak of "Rromi language")
Gypsies had old names in every language in Europe, as since the XIV century
they lived side by side with other peoples and generally very peacefully
(as it was possible in an Europe always in turmoil).
Their old names were not considered derogatory as the Gypsies were much more
accepted in the past centuries ( or at least before World war two) than
now.
Then, in pre industrial societies, they had their useful place with their
traditional trades.
Also their familial close links, which were the basis of their ethics were
not yet destroyed in a number of communist states by tentative
sedentarization gone wrong, so they were generally accepted and were not
considered a problem for neighbors as they are often now.
( I don't say the past was idyllic, but that present problems have not been
there always).
Now they are tolerated just because history has teached to most people
tolerance, and human rights, but so many have not yet found their role in
modern societies, so also some "nominalistic" problems arise.
Marcus Prometheus