I am going to do a break down of the various terminology as it is accepted in most Romani academic circles.

I realize that this can be very confusing, especially to those outside our ethnicity and culture, and even to those who were raised in our culture, but do not have a full grasp of our language. I must also note that self-identification varies amongst us and many of our own people may not recognize what is considered properterminology. Gypsy- The pejorative term created by the ritish in the !"##s. The term was created to identify only those who are Romani, most specifically those who we now call $% Romany & the Romanichal. It was never intended to be used as a descriptor for any other ethnic population. It comes from the Old English term for 'gyptian, and not(reek. It is a slur. Romani - The term that refers to our entire ethnic population, including the )inti. It refers to the ethnic population that left *orthern India & +akistan shortly after the invasion of the +ersian ,uslims who have since settled in Trukey, all of 'urope, and the -mericas. The term is used to refer to our culture & language in relation to the entire ethnic population. Romani culture, Romani language, Romani people, Romani ethnicity. Romany - The population of Romani who settled in the ritish Isles sometime in the late !/th century. They have since become two distinct populations self identifying as either Romany or Romanichal. This spelling is typically used to refer only to the 0native0 Romani population of the region. It does not inculde more recent Romani immigrants or refugees from continental 'urope. Romany is typically prefi1ed by ritish, $%, 'nglish, or another identifier of where in the region they have settled & lived. '1. )ome Romani families have lived in the $% for one hundred

years or more and they have even picked up some words from the Rromanes dialect spoken by the $% Romany. Sinti - The self-identifier of a sub-ethnic population of the Romani people who live in (ermany, -ustria, regions of 2entral 'urope, and the $nited )tates of -merica. ,any )inti prefer their identifier over Romani, though they do indeed belong to the Romani ethnic population & their language is a dialect of the Romani language. Rroma - - sub-ethnic group of the Romani population who live throughout Transylvania, 2entral 'urope and *orthern Italy. 3This is why referring to our entire ethnic population as the Rroma & )inti tends to be problematic. It is inclusive of only these two very specific Romani sub ethnic populations, when in fact, we have likely over 4# self-identified distinct groups that are considered part of the Romani ethnicity.5 Rroma - - Romani woman. The adjective that describes a Romani woman or girl. '1. I am a Rroma woman, but I belong to the Romani people. Rromni - - Romani woman who is married. - wife. '1. The Rromni took care of her sick husband. Rrom - - Romani man. The adjective that describes a Romani man or boy. '1. The old Rrom told us stories about our history. Rromanes - The language of the Romani people. )ometimes referred to as 6Romani chib0, which means 6Romani tongue0. This includes all dialects of the Romani language spoken in all of 'urope, Turkey, )outh -frica, as well as *orth, 2entral & )outh -merica. Dom - - sister population of the Romani ethnicity. They are believed to be descendants of similar *orth Indian & +akistani ethnic groups. They likely began their diaspora before the people

who are today considered the Romani. The 7om live throughout *orthern -frica, the ,iddle 'ast & 2entral -sia. Domari - The language of the 7om people. Lom - )peculatively related to the Romani in the same way as the 7omari. a population of mi1ed *orthern Indian ethnic groups who began their diaspora before the population that is considered the Romani. They settled mostly in the 2aucasus ,ountains, and largely in -rmenia. Lomavren - The language of the 8om people. The Romani, 7om & 8om are related to some degree, but the e1act relation is still contested by some. The 7om & 8om are sometimes lumped under the pejorative e1onym, 6gypsy0, though this term was never ascribed to them until rather recently. 9hen referring to this entire diasporic population from the Indian subcontinent, they should always be termed 6The Romani, 7om & 8om0. :f course, order can vary, but the proper terms should be utilized instead o gypsy! Single R " double Rr spellings - oth manner of spellings are correct. )ome dialects use a double 6Rr0 spelling for phonetics purposes, while other use it to distinguish us from Romanians & inhabitants of Rome, Italy. #on$Romani Ethni% &opulations' There are several ethnic populations that are wrongly lumped under the slur umbrella that is 6gypsy0. ,any have no relationship to us & should only be discussed in terms of contact. 9e are entirely separate ethnic populations. 3;or those who still have not grasped this concept yet.5

&avee - 2ommonly known as Irish (ravellers, they are a sub-ethnic group of Irish who have lived a nomadic e1istence for several centuries. They reside in Ireland, and the $nited %ingdom. )ome self identify as 6Irish (ypsies0, though the bastardization of that term from the $% Romany is a rather contentious topic. )ome +avee have had very close relations with $% Romany, even inter-marrying. <owever, it is important to note that the Romany & Romani are in no way related to Irish Travellers. 9e are not only two separate ethnic populations, but we even belong to two separate races. 9e each have our own lanaguage & culture. Shelta - The language of the +avee. )an*ara - -n ethnic population living in *orthern India. Though we have been genetically linked to the anjara, the group is not the only Indian ethnicity that comprised of the initial Romani diasporic population. In fact, we have been linked to a wide variety of ethnic populations that live throughout *orthern India, +akistan, and even 'astern -fghanistan. The anjara are just one of those many ethnicities. The anjara are not 6gypsies0 & they are not Romani. They are )an*ara. They are Indian. There are many nomadic peoples throughout 'urope. The only ones who are Romani are the Romani. The only ones who are 6gypsy0 are the Romani, most specifically, the Romany. The +eni%he, -uin.ui, S%ottish (ravellers, #orwegian (ravellers, any generic nomadic people, nomads of India, /sia, or any other place on 'arth are not Romani & they are not 6gypsies0. *ot even the 8om & 7om are 6gypsies0, or Romani, even though they are our sister ethnic populations.

The only people who are Romani are the Romani. *eeded this today, so reblogged for everyone else too get it right, and maybe avoid being a racist at someone=