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Gavver. Another word used to describe policeman or policewoman that comes from the Romany Gypsy word 'garav' which means hide.

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Ever called someone a gavver? Or maybe you've used the word scran?

These words may not be used much by people nowadays but actually are believed to have originally come from the Romany Gypsy language. In fact, many of the words and phrases that are a common part of the English language actually have their roots from the Gypsy and Traveller community. Figures from the 2011 census suggest there are more than 2,000 Gypsies and Travellers living in Hampshire. But it is thought this number is an underestimate, with a lot of people in the community not disclosing their ethnicity because of fear of prejudice.

Sadly, the community is often subject to unfair negative stereotypes and racism.

HampshireLive newsletter: We bring the stories to you Signing up to the HampshireLive newsletter means you'll receive our daily news email. It couldn't be simpler and it takes seconds - simply press here, enter your email address and follow the instructions. You can also enter your address at the top of this page in the box below the picture on most desktop and mobile platforms. Changed your mind? There's an 'unsubscribe' button at the bottom of every newsletter we send out. Studies suggest as many as 44 per cent of British people openly admit negative attitudes against Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities - more than for any other protected characteristic group. However, just a glance at the English language shows the influence of Gypsy, Roma and Traveller culture. Romany is an unwritten language thought to have originated in Northern India, particularly from the Hindi, Sanskrit and Punjabi languages. There are very few people in the UK that speak it, and only 5 to 6 million in Europe and the USA. The largest concentrations of Roma people now live in Turkey, Spain and Romania, CornwallLive reports. Here are some commonly-used words and phrases believed to have derived from the Romany language:

Bar

What we know as that delightful counter where you are served drinks, or the things that prevent you from leaving your prison cell, the word bar originally comes from the word ‘stone’ in Romany. But, it actually means a pound coin or a pound note when used.

Chav

An extremely popular term in the English language, the word chav is used to describe a lower-class youth - perhaps dressed in sportswear.

But the term actually comes from the Romany word ‘chavi’, meaning child.

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Cosh

Cosh, a word used in English to describe a type of weapon (a heavy stick or a bar), actually derived from the Romany word ‘cosht’ which means ‘stick’.

Cushty

One of many catchphrases popularised by Derek 'Del Boy' Trotter in Only Fools and Horses, the term cushty actually comes from Romany word ‘kushitipen’ or ‘kushti’ and literally means ‘very good’.

Dick

Dick was a word commonly used to refer to a detective or private investigator in the 19th century. ‘To dick’ would literally mean ‘to watch’ and comes from the Romany word ‘dik,’ which means to look and to see.

Div

This common word used to insult people or point out a lack of intelligence comes from the Romany term ‘divvy’ which means mad.

Gavver

Another word used to describe policeman or policewoman that comes from the Romany Gypsy word ‘garav’ which means hide.

Gibberish

We use the word gibberish to describe someone talking nonsense, but it is believed to have derived from the Romani word ‘jib’, meaning tongue as well as language.

Lollipop

The name for this sweet tooth favourite among Brits actually comes from Romany ‘loli phabai’ which means red apple. It was first a Roma tradition to sell candied apples on a stick.

Mullered

Most often heard nowadays to describe someone as steaming drunk, the term Mullered actually comes from the Romany word ‘muller’ which means dead or killed.

Nark

The term used to describe a police informer comes from the Romany word ‘nāk’ which means nose.

Pal

Probably the best known English expression to come from the Romany language is pal. The term used to describe friends comes from Romany word ‘phral’ which means brother.

Scran

Commonly used in the North of England to describe food, the word scran is believed to have derived from the Romany word ‘satan’ which means to eat.

Skip

What we know as a container that can be found on building sites actually comes from Romany word ‘skip’, meaning basket.

Togs

Used to refer to clothing – more commonly swimming gear – togs is a Romany word meaning clothes.

Wonga

The word wonga – most famously used by the former payday loan provider of the same name – actually comes from the Romany word ‘vonga’ meaning coal as well as money.

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