Glossary

• Bias: An unfair preference for or dislike of something.


• Discrimination: Unfair treatment of one person or group, usually because of prejudice about race, ethnic group, age group, religion, sexuality or gender.


• Gadjo/i/e, Gajo: (male/female/plural) The Romani word for a non-Roma person.


• Gitano, Gitan: Spanish and French words for "Gypsy", deriving from "Egyptien" and "Egiptano"


• Gypsy: Most commonly understood label for Romani people. It is disliked by many, partly due to derogatory connotations and partly because it is a misnomer; "Gypsy" is abbreviated from Egyptian ('gyptian') because of a mistaken belief that the Roma came from Egypt or a part of Europe once known as 'Little Egypt' (comparable to naming Native Americans "Indians"). The word "Gypsy" (sometimes spelled "gips") is like "gitan" in French, or "gitano" in Spanish.


• Kumpanía: Romani word meaning a group of Roma travelling or living together in a territory in an economic and residential association.


• Machváya/Machwaya: A Roma clan originating in the Balkans.


• Porrajmos/porraimos: Romani word for the Nazi Holocaust. Literally means "Devouring."


• Persecute: 1. To harass or punish in a manner designed to injure, grieve, or afflict; specifically: to cause to suffer because of belief 2. To annoy with persistent or urgent approaches (as attacks...)


• Pogrom: An organized massacre of helpless people.


• Prejudice: 1. A pre-formed opinion, usually an unfavorable one, based on insufficient knowledge, irrational feelings, or inaccurate stereotypes. 2. An unfounded hatred, fear, or mistrust of a person or group, especially one of a particular religion, ethnicity, nationality, or social status.


• Profiling: Racial profiling, also known as racial stereotyping, is the inclusion of racial or ethnic characteristics in determining whether a person is likely to commit a particular type of crime. In the United States in the 1990s, the practice became controversial among the general public as the potential for abuse by law enforcement came to light.


• Rom (also Rrom): Romani person or people (singular or plural noun). e.g. "He is a Rom", "200 Rom came to the wedding"; collective noun, e.g. "The Rom hailed from India".


• Roma: Plural of Rom


• Romanes/Romani: Romani language


• Romani: The adjective used to describe the Rom people. Sometimes also used as a noun.


• Romní: A Romani woman


• Stereotype: Something conforming to a fixed or general pattern; a standardized mental picture that is held in common by members of a group and that represents an oversimplified opinion, prejudiced attitude, or uncritical judgment