Glossary

ROMANY OR SLANG.		ENGLISH.
Acoi		Here.
Adrey		Into.
Ajaw		So.
Auv acoi		Come here.
Av		Come.
Avali		Yes.
Bar		A pound.
Baulo		A pig.
Bershor		Years.
Betie		Tiny, small.
Bis		Twenty.
Bokkra		A sheep.
Boro gav		Big city—London.
Boronashemescrutan		Epsom race-course.
Bosh		Fiddle.
Boshomengro		Fiddler.
Buddigur		A shop.
Buddigur divvus		Shopping day, usually Saturday. The term is sometimes used for Monday, but this day is more frequently called “toving divvus,” or washing day.
Camipen-lil		Love-letter.
Chavo		Child, boy.
Chies		Girls.
Chiklo, chickly		Dirty.
Chin		To cut.
Chin a ran		Cut a tent rod.
Chiv		Put.
Chivving tulipen prey the chokkars		Greasing the shoes.
Chokkars		Shoes.
Choom		A kiss.
Chor’d		Stole.
Chorodies		Dirty outcasts.
Chovahani		Witch.
Churi		Knife.
Chuvvel		Coat.
Coru		Pot.
Cosh		Stick, or wood.
Cour		To fight.
Covar		Any article, thing.
Des		Ten.
Dick		To look.
Dickoi		Look here.
Diddecoy		Local term for Chorodies.
Dinlo, Dinnelo		A fool.
Divvus		Day.
Dordi		Oh dear.
Drab-engro		Doctor (Poison man).
Drom		Way, or road.
Dui		Two.
Dukkerin		Fortune telling.
Escunye-mengro		A skewer-maker.
Gav		Town.
Gav mush		Policeman.
Gorgio		One who is not a gypsy.
Gry		Horse.
Hev		Hole.
Hoquepen		A lie, falsehood.
Horry		Pence.
Hotchi		Hedgehog.
Jal		To go.
Jal a moskeying		Go a-spying.
Jalled		Went.
Jib		To live.
Jib		Tongue (speech).
Jibben		Life.
Jinned		Knew, understood.
Juggal		A dog.
Kai		Where.
Kairengro		One who lives in a house.
Kaulo		Black.
Kaulo gav		Black town (Birmingham).
Kek		No, not, etc.
Kekkeno mush’s poov		A common.
Kekko		It is not, etc.
Kekauvi Kekaubi Kaubi	}	Kettle.
Kekauvisky saster		Kettle iron.
Kek komi		No more.
Kitchema		Public-house.
Komi		More.
Korauna		A crown (money).
Kushti		Good.
Kushti divvus		Good day.
Kushti rardi		Good night.
Lelled		Took, or taken.
Leste		Him, of him.
Lil		A book, letter or note.
Loo		Corruption of “lee.”
Mande		Me, mine.
Mas		Meat.
Moomli		Candle.
Mui		Face.
Mullo mas		Dead meat.
Mumpers		Vagrants who live as gypsies.
Mumply gorgio		A term of reproach. See mumpers and gorgio.
Mush		Man.
Nevi Wesh		New Forest.
O		The.
Opré		Upon, above.
Pal		Brother.
Panee, Pani		Water.
Pani-mengri		A vessel for water, a pail.
Pani-mush		Sailor, waterman.
Pantsch		Five.
Paracrow tute		Thank you.
Pasherro		A halfpenny.
Patrin		Trail, or sign.
Pawnugo hev		Well, or water hole.
Pen		Sister.
Penned		Said.
Pens		Says.
Petulengro		Romany for the surname “Smith.”
Plastra		Run.
Poggado		Broken.
Poggado jib		Broken tongue, jargon.
Poov		Earth, field, etc.
Poov the gry		Literally, field the horse, but it is always understood to mean—to put a horse in a field, at night.
Por-engro		A writer.
Posh		Half.
Posh korauna		Half a crown.
Posh ta posh		Half and half.
Praio		Upper.
Prala		Brother.
Pukker		To speak.
Pukkering cosh		Literally, talking wood,—Finger-post, sign-post. A better term, but not so commonly used, is—Drom sikkering engri,—a thing for showing the way.
Putsi		Pocket.
Rawnie		Lady.
Rinkeny		Handsome.
Rokkra		To speak.
Romadi		Wife.
Romany		Gypsy language.
Romany chal, chi		Gypsy lad, lass.
Romany jib		Gypsy language.
Romany Rye		Gypsy gentleman.
Romipen		Marriage.
Rommado		Husband.
Romm’d		Married.
Rye		Gentleman.
Sho		Six.
Shohaury, Shockhorry		Sixpence.
Shok		Cabbage.
Shoon		Hear.
Shoshoi		Rabbit.
Si		Is, it is.
Sore		All.
So si		What is.
Stardo		Imprisoned.
Staripen		Prison.
Stiggur		Gate.
Stor		Four.
Tachey, Tatcho		True.
Tachipen		Truth.
Tan		Place, or tent.
Tatchey Romany		Gypsy of pure blood.
Tatcho pal		True brother.
Tatto		Hot.
Tatto yeck		A stinging blow.
Tem		Country.
Tickno		Child.
Tippoty		Spiteful.
Trin		Three.
Tuley		Below.
Tulipen		Grease, fat.
Tuti, or tute		Thou, or you.
Tuv		Tobacco, cigarette.
Vardo		Cart, wagon, caravan.
Wardoe		See Vardo.
Woddrus		Bed.
Yag		Fire.
Yeck		One.
Yocks		Eyes.
Yog		Fire (more frequently used).

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