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Romany Word for a Non-Romany Person

"Mashkar le gadjende leski shib si le Romeski zor"
"Surrounded by the Gadje, the Rom's only defence is his tongue"

Pronounced "gah-jay" or "gay-djuh", the word Gadje (or Gadjo) is a Romany ("gyspy") word used to describe someone who is either not of Romany extraction, or one who has left the Romany life and is living outside the community and culture. The ethical code and philosophy of the Romany is fairly complex, and embraces spiritual ways, religion and cultural standards. One example of this is that they decline to excrete where they eat, hence will construct latrines outside the camp, and view anyone who uses an indoor toilet facility as unclean.

In the same way that the Amish describe their non-Amish neighbours as "English", it is used with regard to anyone outside their own culture. However, it means more than…

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