PROF DR GHEORGHE SARAU ABOUT SERBIAN-ROMA DICTIONARY WITH GRAMMAR AND ORTHOGRAPHIC ADVISER

Support to the Roma practical linguistic and Romology in entire world is significant, given from side of Bajram Haliti – one Roma literate and writer, with presumption that he will get support from the Cathedra for orientalism of Philology’s faculty within the University in Belgrade and department of Romology in Belgrade of UN’s Institute for development and peace (OECPD), as well with support of reviews created from side of University’s prof dr. Ian Hancock, University’s prof dr. Rajko Djuric, University’s prof dr. Marcel Courtiade, University’s prof dr. Hristo Kjuchukov, University’s prof dr. Santino Spinelli, prof dr. Dragoljub Ackovic, prof dr. Samanta Baranja, prof dr. Ljatif Demir, as well from side of other experts: political scientists Ljuan Koka and Hedina Sijercic, cultural practitioners Janardhan Pathania and Dev Bhardwaj from India, Veljko Kajtazi – author of Croatian-Roma dictionary that has been published in Croatia, and other experts from the world, like: dr. Milan Sipka, dr. Ranko Bugarski, dr. Danica Andrejevic, Milica Lilic, Nedzdet Mustafa – minister without portfolio in the Government of Republic of Macedonia, as well as others.

Dictionary (alavari), created from side of Bajram Haliti, contains his personal Roma lingual experience as a journalist, editor from TV and  radio, and his great knowledge of Romology (that in fundament very significant work of great value created as a result of association of author with Roma nomads, carried with his great translating experience and richness in work in historical years, as well with knowledge of life of Roma today). From the other side, with his exhaustive knowledge from the language’s point of view, that poetic and prosaic horizon comes to expression, when it is known that lexical pearls that rise to the surface of some nation are roots of language of any nation. Those old, long ago forgotten words that can be again found in front of us in this dictionary are very important to take into account during the analysis of one such great enterprise. Significance of this dictionary will come with time, and for now, our greatest priority is to collect such precious words so that they wouldn’t stay forgotten and lost. Now look why – currently, in first edition, greatest enterprise is benefit from the fact that great fund of those lexically long time ago lost words will be available for the great number of people.

While taking to account “pureness” of lexical form, it is obvious how author admonished legitimate forms that aren’t written – they don’t exist in other phonetic processes that are written with laws of Roma language, and how occur such phonetic conflict: „apokopa, afereza, sinkopa, metateza, elizia i proteza“, BAJRAME OVO NE ZNAM ŠTA ZNAČI!!!, as well as numerous changes of consonants, use of vocals, as well as strengthening of consonants, softness etc. Even when there aren’t such instructions, linguistic material remains extremely important, because in this stage is important that as integral as possible lexical fund is collected: old words, new words (more than currently actual international lexica, as well as belonging creations), as well as numerous words that are located in everyday use and words of specific area, etc.

Dictionary contains words that entered to Roma language from side of lingual richness of other languages (borrowed words), and words that became from the interior of lingual richness of environment (suffixes, prefixes, words that became from the composition).

While taking to account Roma grammar, I will present basic morphologic paradigms of nouns and verbs and all lingual forms: from one side – pronouns, adjectives, numbers, verbs – as variable spoken forms; and from the other side, prepositions, conjuctions, intersections as well as postpostion – as invariable spoken forms, and as one phenomen that doesn’t exist in other languages – semi-variable spoken form, and that is adverb.

Today in Europe, when after 1990 numerous countries of ex-Communistic block changed their political system and gave to Roma right to enrich Roma language, it is enabled to learn Roma language in schools in many countries (on that way, one great progress had been seen in Romania). In such new conditions, many school and university books on Roma language has been published that became official written Roma literature on Roma Congress held in Warszawa (1990).

As it is well known, in Serbia (and generally in countries of ex-Yugoslavia) have been undertook best initiatives for enrich of Roma language in Communist’s era (learning of Roma language in schools, radio and TV broadcasts on Roma language, international school of Roma language has been held for the first time, numerous publications were published on Roma language, even a Roma theatre existed). That very rich tradition (which was present on entire ex-Yugoslavian territory, after previous Russian experience back from 20s and 30s of last century) have arisen again in Serbia during the last 10 years as the strongest and richest. Together with pupils, students and journalists, we should support publishing of so long-expected book – first Serbian-Roma dictionary of that type in Serbia. Lot of happiness and health to everyone!

Gheorghe Sarau

Bucharest, 13th August 2010

University prof dr. Gheorghe Sarau

Cathedra for Roma language and literature

Of Faculty for foreign languages and literature of University in Bucharest – Romania.