© British and Foreign Bible Society 2014

Romany

Romany has been spoken by Romanichal Gypsies in Britain for over 500 years. The pure Romani language mixed with spoken English, formed the modern Romany speech sometimes known as the Pogadi Chib (mixed up language), or to scholars as Angloromani. It is spoken by Gypsies in Britain and where they have settled in Canada, the USA, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Many Romany words have come into British English slang such as kushti, mush, chav and wonga. Romany is not fully intelligible with other Romani languages found in Europe, although it has some shared vocabulary.

Bible Selections

In 1973 the British and Foreign Bible Society (BFBS) published Luke 15 as “Shavved then got latchered (Lost and Found)” as a diglot of Romany and English using the Good News Bible.

In 1979 BFBS published portions of Mark 1:4-45 (Jesus Heals a Leper), Mark 12:41-44 (the Rich and Poor), Luke 8:22-25 (Jesus Calms a Storm) were published in Romany as “A Kushti Lav (Good News For You)”.

In 1981 BFBS published portions of Luke 4:16-19 (Jesus is Rejected at Nazareth), Luke 16:19-31 (the Rich Man and Lazarus), Luke 17: 11-19 (Jesus Heals Ten Men) and Luke 23:32-43 (Jesus is Crucified) in Romany as “More Kushti Lavs”.

Digital Edition

These selections, from Mark and Luke, were combined and collectively called Kushti Lavs. In 2013 these were digitised from the British and Foreign Bible Society (BFBS) archives in Cambridge, as part of the UBS Romani Affinity Group Romani digitisation project. 

For more information about the work of the Bible Society please visit BFBS at www.biblesociety.org.uk

© British and Foreign Bible Society 2014