the verbs are all conjugated on the model of the first conjugation of the
Castilian verbs。 From /jamar/； the infinitive of 〃to eat；〃 the regular
conjugation should be /jame/； 〃I have eaten。〃 From /lillar/； 〃to take；〃 /lille/；
〃I have taken。〃 Yet； some old gipsies say； as an exception； /jayon/ and
/lillon/。 I am not acquainted with any other verbs which have preserved
this ancient form。
While I am thus showing off my small acquaintance with the
/Romany/ language； I must notice a few words of French slang which our
thieves have borrowed from the gipsies。 From /Les Mysteres de Paris/
honest folk have learned that the word /chourin/ means 〃a knife。〃 This is
pure /Romany//tchouri/ is one of the words which is common to every
dialect。 Monsieur Vidocq calls a horse /gres/this again is a gipsy word
/gras/； /gre/； /graste/； and /gris/。 Add to this the word /romanichel/； by
which the gipsies are described in Parisian slang。 This is a corruption of
/romane tchave/〃gipsy lads。〃 But a piece of etymology of which I am
really proud is that of the word /frimousse/； 〃face；〃 〃countenance〃a word
which every schoolboy uses； or did use； in my time。 Note； in the first place；
the Oudin； in his curious dictionary； published in 1640； wrote the word
/firlimouse/。 Now in /Romany/； /firla/； or /fila/； stands for 〃face；〃 and has
the same meaningit is exactly the /os/ of the Latins。 The combination of
/firlamui/ was instantly understood by a genuine gipsy； and I believe it to
be true to the spirit of the gipsy language。
I have surely said enough to give the readers of Carmen a favourable
idea of my /Romany/ studies。 I will conclude with the following proverb；
which comes in very appropriately： /En retudi panda nasti abela macha/。
〃Between closed lips no fly can pass。〃
61
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