Cypriot Gypsy Phonemic Inventory

Lexical Disguise Mechanisms:

• Playful insertions like -ala- or -ele- to disguise Cypriot Turkish roots
• Creative use of Turkish and Cypriot suffixes for word formation
• Sound modifications while preserving grammatical structure

Examples:

• kakaladım → "I got up" (< kalktım)
• gideledim → "I went" (< gittim)
• olalamaz → "it is not possible" (< olmaz)

Researchers have documented around 115 words in Olece. The vocabulary derives from multiple sources:

1. Shared with Cypriot Turkish:

• aba (sister), ata (son), avuç (hand)
• ebe (grandmother), yeğen (cousin)

2. Modified Cypriot Turkish forms:

• genna- (to come), yımrık (fist), bayna- (to give)

3. Arabic & Persian borrowings:

• dest (hand), kese (wallet), gadef (glass), kırsi (table/chair)

4. Greek borrowings:

• afayı (this, < afto), angoni (grandchild, < engoni)
• geder (donkey, < gedaros), rati (evening, < vrodi)

Olece uses Turkish and Cypriot suffixes creatively:

• cav (eye) → cavlık (glasses)
• çükkel (dog) → çükkelcik (puppy)
• çelleşme- (to remain silent)

Kinship terms: aba (sister), abı (father), genabla (bride/sister-in-law), angoni (grandchild)

Body parts: cav (eye), dest (hand), hurle (backside), pülçük (hair)

Time expressions: dohur (noon), rati (evening)

Animals: çükkel (dog), cıdiye (goat), geder (donkey)

Food & drink: pani (water), perez (bread), kilar (halloumi), tahal (coffee)

Objects: dukke (house), gadef (glass), kotor (money), tomofil (car)

Adjectives: iskef (beautiful), natfa (ugly), vordo (foolish)

Verbs: aşına- (to take), bayna- (to give), genna- (to come), halan- (to go), piyne- (to drink), zanı- (to see)

Olece follows Turkish grammar completely, including:

Case suffixes:

• dukke-y-e (to the house)
• dest-i-n-e (to his hand)

Tense & aspect:

• gennamadı (he didn't come)
• çelleşiyordum (I was speaking)

Sentence structure:

Short, oral-style sentences, often with inverted word order (common in Cypriot Turkish):

• Ben zanıdım seni – "I saw you."
• Bu rati genna bizi – "Come to us this evening."

The following examples show how Olece is used in everyday speech, demonstrating its close similarity to Cypriot Turkish with unique vocabulary and playful alterations:

Ben zanıdım seni.
"I saw you."

Hallanıyordun mektebe. // hallandım okula.
"You were going to school. // I went to school."

Destingde hey vardı.
"There was a bag in your hand."

Bir şağnan çelleşiyordun. // şahınan çelleşiyordum.
"You were talking with a child. // I was talking with a child."

Bu sabah erken kakaladım. // nımıslarkan tez kakaladım.
"I woke up early this morning. // I woke up quickly while sleeping."

Elimi destimi yuvdum.
"I washed my hands and face."

Gennarkan okuldan zanıdım seni.
"I saw you when coming back from school."

Dukkeye genadım ornusladım kaydım.
"I came home and immediately sat at the table."

Afayı yapalamaycaydın.
"You should not do this."

Bu rati genna bizi.
"Come to us this evening."

Afayı heyedelemezsan hiç bir tışlak olalamaz.
"If you don't do this, no success is possible."

Çelledim cıvıra lo da gennamadı.
"I told the girl, but she didn't come."

İşkef şarkı çellerim.
"I sing beautiful songs."

Çok piyneyince tufanı şorum ağrır.
"When I smoke too much, my head hurts."

Like many oral codes, Olece includes insults and curses that emphasize its identity as a spoken, in-group language:

Destine kirişleyim bu guburu.
"I'll put this grave into your hand." (a curse)

Geder gıylasının şorosu gaysın sana.
"May the donkey's head strike you."

Hurleni gıylayım.
"I'll ... your backside."

Pıntını gıylayım.
"I'll ... your genitals."

Zahrınga sıçayım. // fısnayım.
"I'll defecate in your mouth."

These phrases show how Olece serves not only as a means of secrecy but also as a cultural marker of solidarity and humor, often expressed through colorful and exaggerated speech.

A selection of words illustrates the practical, everyday nature of the vocabulary. Many are shared with Cypriot Turkish but reshaped in form or meaning:

Kinship:

• aba – sister
• abı – father
• angoni – grandchild
• genabla – bride / sister-in-law
• yeğen – cousin

Body & Appearance:

• cav – eye
• dest – hand
• hurle – backside
• pülçük – hair
• zahır – mouth

Food & Drink:

• pani – water
• perez – bread
• kilar – halloumi
• tahal – coffee
• bırdan – orange

Objects:

• dukke – house
• gadef – glass
• kotor – money
• tırak – shoes
• tomofil – car

Animals:

• çükkel – dog
• cıdiye / cici – goat
• geder – donkey
• ımbrışık – chicken

Adjectives:

• iskef – beautiful
• natfa – ugly
• vordo – foolish

Verbs:

• aşına- – to take
• bayna- – to give
• genna- – to come
• halan- – to go
• piyne- – to drink
• zanı- – to see

Although the Gurbet (Olece) community is often viewed as different due to their lifestyle, traditions, and language, their sense of identity is firmly within the Turkish Cypriot context. They regard themselves as Turks, speak Turkish as their mother tongue, and live according to customs closely related to Cypriot Turkish culture.

Historical Perceptions:

Their unique way of life has historically set them apart, leading outsiders to apply various labels such as Gurbet, Ole, Gori, Fellah, or Çingane. Many of these names carry negative associations, reflecting how they have been perceived from outside rather than how they identify themselves.

Links with Secret Languages:

From a linguistic perspective, Olece shows stronger connections to Abdal secret languages in Anatolia than to Roma dialects. Comparative studies reveal overlaps with several Anatolian secret languages:

• Hazeynce: 3 shared words (dest = hand, kotor = money, tomofil = car)
• Kalaycı language: 1 shared word (cici = goat)
• Geygel Yörük language: 5 shared words (bayna- = to give, cıvır = girl, cav = eye, geder = donkey, tırak = shoe)
• Çepni language: 5 shared words (cıdiye = goat, geder = donkey, halan- = to go, ırdaş = sibling, tufan = cigarette)
• Erkilet language: 2 shared words (kotor = money, tufan = cigarette)

Strongest Connection - Teberce:

22 words are shared with the Abdal secret language Teberce, spoken in the Kırşehir region of central Anatolia, including: aşına- (to take), çükkel (dog), çelle- (to speak), dariya (door), dukke (house), genna- (to come), halan- (to go), ornusla- (to sit).

Although "Çingene" (Gypsy) and "Abdal" are sometimes used interchangeably in everyday speech, linguistic research shows they are not the same. Olece aligns more closely with Abdal secret languages than with Roma dialects spoken in Turkey.

Limited Roma Connection:

Out of 41 Roma-origin words documented in earlier studies, only three words appear in Olece: pani (water), şoro (head), tırak (shoe).