țigan

Romanian

Etymology

From a Slavic word *ciganinъ, from Greek τσιγγάνος (tsingános), from Byzantine Greek Ἀθίγγανος (Athínganos), ultimately from either a word meaning "untouchable"[1][2][3] or the name of a Christian sect.[4] Compare Hungarian cigány and German Zigeuner, which are from the same Greek source (as well as Italian zingaro, French tzigane, ultimately).

Pronunciation

IPA^(key): /t͡siˈɡan/

Noun

țigan m (plural țigani, feminine equivalent țigancă)

Gypsy

Usage notes

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 (“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.

Declension

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

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

Gypsy

Declension

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	țiganilor	țiganelor

Derived terms

țigănesc
țigănește
țigăni
țigănie
țigănime
țigănuș

References

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 […]