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by Arisztid on January 31st, 2008
Being "Gypped" is offensive to the Rromani, i.e. "Gypsy". That is where the word "gypped" came from.
We are not RomaniAN. We are RromanI. Romania is a country, Rromani (however we spell it) is a people.
by iwnit on February 1st, 2008
I think that the term would be offensive to anyone.
It would also be offensive for people of Romanian descent for one more reason: because it is a discriminative and offensive insult which has been used against Romani people (those who came from India). Many Romanian people (descending from the Vlachs of Romania) don't want to be taken for Romani.
Sometimes, sadly, it is not only the need of respect for their own identity, but it could always be racism against the Romani.
But I hope it is a small minority.
by iwnit on May 15th, 2011
I already gave a short answer to this question:
http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/2185243
The present answer adds some details.
1) "Gypped" in the sense of victim of a swindle strongly relates to the stereotype of Roma (Gypsy) as swindles. In this sense, it is considered offensive for Roma/ Romani (but not for Romanians).
There is often a confusion between Roma and Romanian. The fact that many Romas live in Romania (and are Romanian citizens) makes it difficult for many to understand the difference.
2) "United States
Law enforcement agencies in the United States hold regular conferences on the Romani people and similar nomadic groups. It is common to refer to the operators of certain types of travelling con artists and fortune-telling businesses as "gypsies," as the term in the United States has come to designate any peoples with a nomadic lifestyle rather than a specific ethnic group. Additionally, a common derogatory phrase in the US is to "be gypped," as in "I was gypped" or "he gypped me," meaning that someone executed a bad deal or took money that he was not entitled to take."
Source and further information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antiziganism
3) "Etymology
The various senses may have different etymological origin.
In the sense “swindle”, may have derived from gypsy (“Roma”), via stereotype of Roma as swindles, although no direct evidence exists. Compare jew (“defraud”), from Jew, and welsh (“swindle by defaulting on a debt”), from Welsh.
- Noun:
gyp (plural gyps)
1. A cheat or swindle; a rip-off.
Why do we have to buy this new edition of the textbook when there’s almost no difference between it and the previous one? What a gyp!
2. (Cambridge and Durham, England) A college servant.
3. gypsophila. [a genus of flowering plants]
4. Pain or discomfort.
My back's giving me gyp.
- Verb:
gyp (third-person singular simple present gyps, present participle gypping, simple past and past participle gypped)
1. (considered pejorative by many) To cheat or swindle someone of something inappropriately.
The cab driver gypped me out of ten bucks by taking the longer route.
2. (Wichita, Kansas, USA vicinity) to play hooky, truant or skive [absent without permission]
He gypped school today."
Source and further information:
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/gyp
Further information:
http://www.vocaboly.com/forums/ftopic4766.html
4) Here some clarification of the concepts Roma, Romani, Romanian:
"Roma people may refer to
- Romani people, an ethnic group with origins in India who are widely dispersed with their largest concentrated populations in Europe, especially Central and Eastern Europe, with more recent diaspora populations in the Americas and, to a lesser extent, in North Africa and the Middle East.
- Roma (Romani subgroup), a subgroup of the Romani people who live primarily in Central and Eastern Europe."
Source and further information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roma_people
"The Romani (also Romany, Romanies, Romanis, Roma or Roms; exonym: Gypsy; Romani: Romane or Rromane, depending on the dialect) are an ethnic group living mostly in Europe, who trace their origins to the Indian Subcontinent.
The Romani are widely dispersed, with their largest concentrated populations in Europe, especially the Roma of Central and Eastern Europe and Anatolia, followed by the Iberian Kale in Southwestern Europe and Southern France. Deported to Brazil by Portugal during the colonial era and via more recent migrations, some people have gone to the Americas and, to a lesser extent, other parts of the world.
The Romani language is divided into several dialects, which add up to an estimated number of speakers larger than two million. The total number of Romani people is at least twice as large (several times as large according to high estimates). Many Romani are native speakers of the language current in their country of residence, or of mixed languages combining the two."
Source and further information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romani_people
"The Romanians (dated: Rumanians or Roumanians; Romanian: români or -historically, but now a seldom-used regionalism- rumâni; dated exonym: Vlachs) are an ethnic group native to Romania, who speak Romanian; they are the majority inhabitants of Romania.
The Romanian people are a nation in the meaning of ethnos (Romanian: etnie), defined by the sense of sharing a common Romanian culture, descent, and having Romanian as mother tongue, not by citizenship or by being subjects to any particular country. The Romanian citizenship law legislated in March 1991 establishes the rights of second and third generation descendants of Romanian citizens to obtain a Romanian citizenship, if they speak fluent Romanian and are able to demonstrate sufficient knowledge in Romanian history and culture. 89.4 percent of Romania's people declared themselves as Romanians at the 2002 Romanian Census.
In one interpretation of the census results in Moldova, Moldovans are counted as Romanians, which would mean that the latter form the majority in that country as well."
Source and further information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romanians
by kanara on July 15th, 2008
wow i just realized it was from the word gypsy. i wont say it anymore.
by italiagirl on July 3rd, 2008
Start by not calling them gypsies, I think. Its Romani or Roma. And yes that saying is offensive, its a racial slur and has become way too commonly used among teens
by PrincepsPhilologi on June 5th, 2010
No, it's a colloquialism that doesn't even come from gypsy. And even if it had it shouldn't matter; it's found its way in to usage and is no longer connected to the root word except by people who are too defensive of their culture and want to find some kind of derogatory meaning for the word. The actual word comes from the greek "γύπας" (pronounced ghIpas (ghIpas --> ghypas --> gypas --> gyp)) it means carrion buzzard or vulture. Also, the internationally accepted demonym for a person from Romania is "Romanian" not "Romani". A Romanian may be Romani if they can trace their roots to ancient India, on the other hand they may just be Romanian, you can't claim Romani descent just because you come from a Romanian family. In much the same way someone from Cambodia is Cambodian, and not necessarily Khmer.
by thomasblack on May 8th, 2010
There is a lot of misinformation about the true origin of the word "gypped". It comes from the Greek word "gyp" for vulture, not from the word "gypsy".
Gyp (Jip, Gip, Gypsy, Gippo, Gypper, Gypster)
A person who cheats or swindles people. A trickster. A person who is not quite honest. Gyp is the Greek word for vulture. In the 19th century, the Universities of Cambridge and Durham in England provided servants, who attended one or more undergraduates. Students called the servants “gyps” because the gyps found many ways of obtaining ale and tips from them and preyed upon the students like vultures. Gyps made beds, ran errands, helped their young masters over the college walls late at night, and provided other services. Sometimes they ran away with everything they could lay their hands on.
Jordan Almond, Dictionary of Word Origins: A History of the Words, Expressions, and Clichés We Use, Citadel Press, New York, 1985, page 113.
So, while the term "gypped" comes originally from the Greek word for vulture, the word "gypsy" may in fact be a word that may cause legitimate offense to some. The word "gypsy" was coined in England in the 16th century when they mistook a people of Middle Easter/Indian descent for Egyptians due to the color of their skin. The word "Gypsy" comes from the Egyptian word for "Little Egypt" which the English gave these wondering people, who themselves prefer to be called Romani, due to the fact that they thought it made sense to call a smaller sect of people from what they thought was Egypt, a name which meant Little Egyptians.
Now you can enlighten anybody who thinks the word stems from Gypsy. It does not.
by Kalryne on February 22nd, 2008
How can you become a Gypsy?
by sdlfas on May 14th, 2011
No it is not offensive. The term is an American term and they are not many and never have been many Gypsies in America. Gyp is a type of servant and gyp in this case did not evolve from gypsy either. Rather, it came from the gippo, another type of servant.
That being said, I am not Romani and because this word could be misinterpreted as being an evolution and derogatory term for a gypsy, be careful where you say it. Or be prepared to argue your case.
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Comments
pardon my ignorance i was intrigued by the question, but what's the difference? history or what?
by miRi hates social norms and regulations on January 31st, 2008
The Rrom came from, or through, India, eventually settling all over the world, including Romania. "Rom" means "man". It is just happenstance that the name "Rromani" and "Romania" are similar.
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Some bright bulb decided that we were from Egypt, which we are not, hence the word "Gypsy".
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Even more bright bulbs decided that "I've been gypped" is slang for "I've been ripped off" because of a stereotype of my people. Oh, most of us are law abiding, like myself.
by Arisztid on January 31st, 2008
you're very defensive it seems about your culture. it's good to have pride though, i just hope it's not caused you much hostility.
anyways thanks for answering my question =) +4
by miRi hates social norms and regulations on January 31st, 2008
I have gotten quite a bit of hostility due to it (may the Gods bless the Martial Arts and a very thick hide) but it is NOTHING to what my folki in EU face every day. I am blessed. :)
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You are welcome and thankyou for the points. I try to not come off as hostile and, if I did, I apologize. I try to just educate. You would not even believe the things I have been asked or the things that have been said to me. :P
by Arisztid on January 31st, 2008
no i asked for an answer and you gave it clearly, no hostility i read. i could just tell it made you passionate and that was admirable. thanks again
by miRi hates social norms and regulations on January 31st, 2008
:) Thankyou. I am a bit passionate about my people. I am kind of a Rromani rights activist, albeit not a big player.
by Arisztid on January 31st, 2008
Arisztid: good answer and interesting complement in the comment.
by iwnit on January 31st, 2008
Thank you both for your comments! Sincerely, Arisztid, please forgive my ignorance. I asked the question because *I* thought it sounded offensive - and I have mentioned it to people who told me I was entirely too PC. I genuinely appreciate your clarification of where Gypsy came from - and the clarification of Rromani - Romanian misinformation.
by SelahWrites on January 31st, 2008
:) thankyou for the question... it is always good to clarify this silliness. That is how stereotpyes are eradicated.
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Being "Gypped" is along the lines of, please pardon this, being "J*wed down" or the use of the word "gay" as derogatory. These things have found their way into common usage which is sickening, to me. The word "Gyppo" is along the lines of the "n" word.
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Thankyou iwnit. :)
by Arisztid on January 31st, 2008
Hahaha - I was going to mention how many times It's been suggested to me that I J*w someone down for something and how close I've come to... well, you know. I've got to remind myself they know not of which they speak, and mean no harm.
I do try to get my grandchildren (the teen boys) to stop doing the gay thing, and they've pretty much figured it won't fly at Bubbe's place.
Again, thank you for the clarification and the information. I appreciate it.
by SelahWrites on January 31st, 2008
Are you Jewish? It is hard for me to to not... well, you know... when they say "who did you Gyp today?" and worse.
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No ethnic or other bigoted slurs make it at my house or amongst my circle of friends.
by Arisztid on January 31st, 2008
i work at a daycare from k-8 you can imagine how many times i nail my kids for saying "that's gay". as long as people make an effort to stop it, there can be progress
by miRi hates social norms and regulations on January 31st, 2008
Indeed.
by Arisztid on January 31st, 2008
Yes, am Jewish - and I share your sentiments regarding stereotypes. My BF is Chinese. He gets the Chinaman's chance biz from time to time.
Mirigotquestions - bless your heart for trying! I think the common denominator between we three women is that we display a lack of tolerance for intolerance - so good on us!
by SelahWrites on January 31st, 2008
It is bloody annoying. I think most of us get it at some time or another but some do get it more than others. *shrugs*.
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Education is the only way to go and it has to start young. Indeed thankyou Mirigotquestions.
by Arisztid on January 31st, 2008
Exactly. Education, compassion, and communication is the answer. We as humans have much more in common than is generally held. We all hurt, we all have problems, we all get happy. We want the same things out of life.
by SelahWrites on January 31st, 2008
welcome both ladies, keep it up and let's hope we can make a dif, shall we?
by miRi hates social norms and regulations on January 31st, 2008
Uhm.... I am a gent. Well, a guy, at least. :P
by Arisztid on January 31st, 2008
lol i'm sorry for the confusion - my default online is that i'm talking to a female...[guess i'll start working on that assumption too]
by miRi hates social norms and regulations on January 31st, 2008
Not a problem. Some think I am female because of my hair, which is to my arse and my avatar reflects this.
by Arisztid on January 31st, 2008
@Arisztid, I too made that erroneous assumption. It's difficult to tell with the small avatar. However, it still was an assumption ; >
by SelahWrites on January 31st, 2008
It does not help that my avatar is of a long-haired person. No problems. :)
by Arisztid on January 31st, 2008
I need not answer the question now, thanks to you, Arisztid. I have read a fascinating book on the subject of the Rromani peoples called "Bury Me Standing". It was incredibly insightful and blew all of those long-standing myths about 'gypsies' away. I found the people in the book to be incredibly creative, talented, musical, and kind. The treatment of these people was (and still is) a travesty. Thanks for enlightening so many about your people here on AB!
by anonymous on February 1st, 2008
:D Thankyou Molecule! Thankyou for caring enough to read and think as well :)
by Arisztid on February 1st, 2008
WRONG
by sdlfas on May 14th, 2011
sdlfas: instead of just writing "WRONG", it would have been better to point at your own answer: http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/10714907
Your answer refers to some particular meanings of the word "to gyp", which also probably have another etymology.
I still believe that the "swindle" meaning is strongly related to the swindle / Gypsy stereotype and is in this sense, clearly offensive.
I wrote a new answer to also address those other meanings:
http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/10717073
by iwnit on May 15th, 2011
I think this guy is just a drivebye. His account was made yesterday to comment on this answer and answer the question.
At least it got a great answer out of you. I would select that as asker's pick if I could.
by Arisztid on May 15th, 2011
Arisztid:
:-)
by iwnit on May 15th, 2011