第 58 节
作者:指环王      更新:2024-01-24 16:00      字数:9322
  10 Dosch      De          Dascha
  It would be easy for us to adduce a thousand instances; as striking
  as the above; of the affinity of the Gypsy tongue to the Persian;
  Sanscrit; and the Indian dialects; but we have not space for
  further observation on a point which long since has been
  sufficiently discussed by others endowed with abler pens than our
  own; but having made these preliminary remarks; which we deemed
  necessary for the elucidation of the subject; we now hasten to
  speak of the Gitano language as used in Spain; and to determine; by
  its evidence (and we again repeat; that the language is the only
  criterion by which the question can be determined); how far the
  Gitanos of Spain are entitled to claim connection with the tribes
  who; under the names of Zingani; etc。; are to be found in various
  parts of Europe; following; in general; a life of wandering
  adventure; and practising the same kind of thievish arts which
  enable those in Spain to obtain a livelihood at the expense of the
  more honest and industrious of the community。
  The Gitanos of Spain; as already stated; are generally believed to
  be the descendants of the Moriscos; and have been asserted to be
  such in printed books。 (71)  Now they are known to speak a language
  or jargon amongst themselves which the other natives of Spain do
  not understand; of course; then; supposing them to be of Morisco
  origin; the words of this tongue or jargon; which are not Spanish;
  are the relics of the Arabic or Moorish tongue once spoken in
  Spain; which they have inherited from their Moorish ancestors。  Now
  it is well known; that the Moorish of Spain was the same tongue as
  that spoken at present by the Moors of Barbary; from which country
  Spain was invaded by the Arabs; and to which they again retired
  when unable to maintain their ground against the armies of the
  Christians。  We will; therefore; collate the numerals of the
  Spanish Gitano with those of the Moorish tongue; preceding both
  with those of the Hungarian Gypsy; of which we have already made
  use; for the purpose of making clear the affinity of that language
  to the Sanscrit and Persian。  By this collation we shall at once
  perceive whether the Gitano of Spain bears most resemblance to the
  Arabic; or the Rommany of other lands。
  Hungarian Spanish           Moorish
  Gypsy。    Gitano。           Arabic。
  1  Jek       Yeque             Wahud
  2  Dui       Dui               Snain
  3  Trin      Trin              Slatza
  4  Schtar    Estar             Arba
  5  Pansch    Pansche           Khamsa
  6  Tschov    Job。 Zoi          Seta
  7  Efta      Hefta             Sebea
  8  Ochto     Otor              Sminia
  9  Enija     Esnia (Nu。 PERS。) Tussa
  10 Dosch     Deque             Aschra
  We believe the above specimens will go very far to change the
  opinion of those who have imbibed the idea that the Gitanos of
  Spain are the descendants of Moors; and are of an origin different
  from that of the wandering tribes of Rommany in other parts of the
  world; the specimens of the two dialects of the Gypsy; as far as
  they go; being so strikingly similar; as to leave no doubt of their
  original identity; whilst; on the contrary; with the Moorish
  neither the one nor the other exhibits the slightest point of
  similarity or connection。  But with these specimens we shall not
  content ourselves; but proceed to give the names of the most common
  things and objects in the Hungarian and Spanish Gitano;
  collaterally; with their equivalents in the Moorish Arabic; from
  which it will appear that whilst the former are one and the same
  language; they are in every respect at variance with the latter。
  When we consider that the Persian has adopted so many words and
  phrases from the Arabic; we are at first disposed to wonder that a
  considerable portion of these words are not to be discovered in
  every dialect of the Gypsy tongue; since the Persian has lent it so
  much of its vocabulary。  Yet such is by no means the case; as it is
  very uncommon; in any one of these dialects; to discover words
  derived from the Arabic。  Perhaps; however; the following
  consideration will help to solve this point。  The Gitanos; even
  before they left India; were probably much the same rude; thievish;
  and ignorant people as they are at the present day。  Now the words
  adopted by the Persian from the Arabic; and which it subsequently
  introduced into the dialects of India; are sounds representing
  objects and ideas with which such a people as the Gitanos could
  necessarily be but scantily acquainted; a people whose circle of
  ideas only embraces physical objects; and who never commune with
  their own minds; nor exert them but in devising low and vulgar
  schemes of pillage and deceit。  Whatever is visible and common is
  seldom or never represented by the Persians; even in their books;
  by the help of Arabic words:  the sun and stars; the sea and river;
  the earth; its trees; its fruits; its flowers; and all that it
  produces and supports; are seldom named by them by other terms than
  those which their own language is capable of affording; but in
  expressing the abstract thoughts of their minds; and they are a
  people who think much and well; they borrow largely from the
  language of their religion … the Arabic。  We therefore; perhaps;
  ought not to be surprised that in the scanty phraseology of the
  Gitanos; amongst so much Persian; we find so little that is Arabic;
  had their pursuits been less vile; their desires less animal; and
  their thoughts less circumscribed; it would probably have been
  otherwise; but from time immemorial they have shown themselves a
  nation of petty thieves; horse…traffickers; and the like; without a
  thought of the morrow; being content to provide against the evil of
  the passing day。
  The following is a comparison of words in the three languages:…
  Hungarian  Spanish      Moorish
  Gypsy。(72) Gitano。      Arabic。
  Bone       Cokalos    Cocal        Adorn
  City       Forjus     Foros        Beled
  Day        Dives      Chibes       Youm
  Drink (to) Piava      Piyar        Yeschrab
  Ear        Kan        Can          Oothin
  Eye        Jakh       Aquia        Ein
  Feather    Por        Porumia      Risch
  Fire       Vag        Yaque        Afia
  Fish       Maczo      Macho        Hutz
  Foot       Pir        Piro; pindro Rjil
  Gold       Sonkai     Sonacai      Dahab
  Great      Baro       Baro         Quibir
  Hair       Bala       Bal          Schar
  He; pron。  Wow        O            Hu
  Head       Tschero    Jero         Ras
  House      Ker        Quer         Dar
  Husband    Rom        Ron          Zooje
  Lightning  Molnija    Maluno       Brak
  Love (to)  Camaba     Camelar      Yehib
  Man        Manusch    Manu         Rajil
  Milk       Tud        Chuti        Helib
  Mountain   Bar        Bur          Djibil
  Mouth      Mui        Mui          Fum
  Name       Nao        Nao          Ism
  Night      Rat        Rachi        Lila
  Nose       Nakh       Naqui        Munghar
  Old        Puro       Puro         Shaive
  Red        Lal        Lalo         Hamr
  Salt       Lon        Lon          Mela
  Sing       Gjuwawa    Gilyabar     Iganni
  Sun        Cam        Can          Schems
  Thief      Tschor     Choro        Haram
  Thou       Tu         Tucue        Antsin
  Tongue     Tschib     Chipe        Lsan
  Tooth      Dant       Dani         Sinn
  Tree       Karscht    Caste        Schizara
  Water      Pani       Pani         Ma
  Wind       Barbar     Barban       Ruhk
  We shall offer no further observations respecting the affinity of
  the Spanish Gitano to the other dialects; as we conceive we have
  already afforded sufficient proof of its original identity with
  them; and consequently shaken to the ground the absurd opinion that
  the Gitanos of Spain are the descendants of the Arabs and Moriscos。
  We shall now conclude with a few remarks on the present state of
  the Gitano language in Spain; where; perhaps; within the course of
  a few years; it will have perished; without leaving a vestige of
  its having once existed; and where; perhaps; the singular people
  who speak it are likewise doomed to disappear; becoming sooner or
  later engulfed and absorbed in the great body of the nation;
  amongst whom they have so long existed a separate and peculiar
  class。
  Though the words or a part of the words of the original tongue
  still remain; preserved by memory amongst the Gitanos; its
  grammatical peculiarities have disappeared; the entire language