Biblical Hebrew Forum

["Peter Kirk"<peter_kirk AT sil.org>]

Do you have gypsies in Australia? Real ones, that is, not fringe 
dwellers in general. This has become a rather emotive issue in 
England, where real gypsies and Romanies are naturally upset at being 
bracketed with thieves. I accept that George did not intend a racial 
slur and apologise for suggesting this. But we must all be careful 
that our postings cannot be misunderstood in such ways by speakers of 
different dialects of English.

Peter Kirk


______________________________ Reply Separator 
_________________________________
Subject: "Gypsies, tramps and thieves"
Author:  <MC2499 AT mclink.it> at Internet 
Date:    10/02/2000 14:48


When I was growing up this was a hit on the radio. The term "gypsy", which 
relat
es to Egypt and may have been coined as a term of disparagement for the 
Romany p
eople, was used in the song and in the English language in general for people 
wi
th no fixed address, fringe dwellers in society. At least, that's how it is 
unde
rstood in Australia. Perhaps it's something I have in common with George, but 
I 
think to read a social slur into George's use of the term is overreacting.

The only real problem with it regarding the Habiru is that, as Niels Peter 
point
ed out, it doesn't include the upper reaches of society.


Ian