țigan

See also: tigan

Romanian edit

Etymology edit

Borrowed from a South Slavic (a)ciganinŭ (cf. Church Slavonic циганинъ (ciganinŭ)), from early modern Greek or late Byzantine Greek τσιγγάνος (tsingános) or ατσίγγανος (atsínganos), variant of Ἀθίγγανος (Athínganos), ultimately from either a word meaning "untouchable"^[1]^[2]^[3](a compound of privative ἀ- (a-) + θιγγάνω (thingánō, “to touch”)), or the name of a Christian sect.^[4] Compare Russian цыган (cygan), Hungarian cigány and German Zigeuner, which are from the same Greek source (as well as Italian zingaro, French tzigane, ultimately).

Pronunciation edit

IPA^(key): /t͡siˈɡan/
Audio (file)

Noun edit

țigan m (plural țigani, feminine equivalent țigancă)

(now sometimes, offensive) Gypsy

Usage notes edit

The term țigani, an imprecise exonym for several groups, is loaded with negative connotations: historically, it implied a status like that of a slave; today, the Dictionary of Romanian Language defines a fi țigan (literally “to be Gypsy”) as "to be a dark-skinned person" or "to be a person with bad habits".^[5]^[6] Careful speakers therefore refer to the Roma people by their self-designation, romi, or (to prevent confusion with the word român (“Romanian”)) its alternative spelling rromi. However, many Roma people in Romania use the term țigan when referring to themselves, and they are not offended by it.

Declension edit

Declension of țigan

	singular		plural
	indefinite articulation	definite articulation	indefinite articulation	definite articulation
nominative/accusative	(un) țigan	țiganul	(niște) țigani	țiganii
genitive/dative	(unui) țigan	țiganului	(unor) țigani	țiganilor
vocative	țiganule		țiganilor

Adjective edit

țigan m or n (feminine singular țigană, masculine plural țigani, feminine and neuter plural țigane)

(sometimes offensive, ethnonym) Gypsy

Declension edit

Declension of țigan

		singular			plural
		masculine	neuter	feminine	masculine	neuter	feminine
nominative/ accusative	indefinite	țigan		țigană	țigani	țigane
nominative/ accusative	definite	țiganul		țigana	țiganii	țiganele
genitive/ dative	indefinite	țigan		țigane	țigani	țigane
genitive/ dative	definite	țiganului		țiganei	țiganelor	țiganilor

Derived terms edit

References edit

^ 2004, Viorel Achim, The Roma in Romanian History (Bucharest), page 9
^ 2007, Jean-Pierre Liégeois, Roma In Europe, page 17
^ 1993, Struggling for Ethnic Identity: The Gypsies of Hungary (published by Human Rights Watch), page 1
^ 2010, Gabriela Brozba, Between reality and myth: A corpus-based analysis of the stereotypic image of some Romanian ethnic minorities, page 42
^ 2010, Gabriela Brozba, Between reality and myth: A corpus-based analysis of the stereotypic image of some Romanian ethnic minorities, page 42
^ 2007, Jean-Pierre Liégeois, Roma In Europe, page 159: In Romanian, the term țigan signifies a lazy good-for-nothing, and the plural țigani evokes not a culturally defined group but rather a disadvantaged, poverty-stricken community on the margins of society, with a status close to that of slaves […]

[1] 2004, Viorel Achim, The Roma in Romanian History (Bucharest), page 9

[2] 2007, Jean-Pierre Liégeois, Roma In Europe, page 17

[3] 1993, Struggling for Ethnic Identity: The Gypsies of Hungary (published by Human Rights Watch), page 1

[4] 2010, Gabriela Brozba, Between reality and myth: A corpus-based analysis of the stereotypic image of some Romanian ethnic minorities, page 42

[5] 2010, Gabriela Brozba, Between reality and myth: A corpus-based analysis of the stereotypic image of some Romanian ethnic minorities, page 42

[6] 2007, Jean-Pierre Liégeois, Roma In Europe, page 159: In Romanian, the term țigan signifies a lazy good-for-nothing, and the plural țigani evokes not a culturally defined group but rather a disadvantaged, poverty-stricken community on the margins of society, with a status close to that of slaves […]

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]