Shelta to English Lexicon
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The asterisked entries in the Shelta column are in place of contemporary Irish Traveller Cant words that have been
erased in this public listing, in deference to the Irish Travellers' desire for privacy. Since this list is primarily
for their use to expand the Cant if they wish, and since they already know and use those omitted words, I feel
that this is the best compromise presently possible between the conflicting goals of secrecy, preservation and/or
restoration. The complete version is only available to selected Irish Travellers for personal use.
The old Shelta words were derived largely from the 1937 edition of R.A. Stewart Macalister's "The Secret Languages
Of Ireland." There's a pronunciation guide at the bottom of the list. Since these pronunciations were natural
to Gaelic speakers, but not to those whose first language is English, I do not expect these phonetics to survive
actual usage intact for very long. But, hopefully, they will provide a starting point.
Use these links below to quickly
reach different segments:
|
SHELTA |
ENGLISH |
COMMENTARY & EXAMPLES |
| ayn | 1 | Shelta only, * Cx and Shelta |
| odd | 2 | Leland's O.McD. used do (the Irish) |
| sheeka | 3 | |
| shaaka | 4 | Cx similar to sharker |
| shooka | 5 | coogh or kyud, Cx * = $5.00 |
| shay | 6 | |
| sheltoo | 7 | |
| okht | 8 | similar to German, "acht" |
| ayen | 9 | also nee |
| chal gyetcha | 10 | * Cx |
| gyetcha | 20 | |
| odd gyetcha | 40 | |
| shooka gyetcha | 100 | * Cx keid = $100.00 |
| * | 1000 | CX |
| A | BACK TO TOP | |
| a | and | |
| a | in | |
| a | ? | question prefix, as in A tcherpu hoo, "Will you cook?" |
| a | of | |
| a-sathu | drowned | |
| abistha | parish | |
| aburth | at all | |
| aga | possession | |
| agetool | afraid | |
| agraysh | back, backward | torin agreesh, "coming back" |
| * | butter | CX & Shelta |
| airpa | another | also aila which is really Irish |
| * | close | CX |
| akh | uh-oh!, oh yeah? | Macalister uses "Oh!" "alas! and "indeed!" |
| akharam | tomorrow | sroidean akharam= "tomorrow morning" |
| akhayr | last night | |
| akhim | out, outside | |
| akhiver | before, ever | |
| akhonshk | today, this day's | Macalister has akhonshk= "tonight?"; not quite right with olomi |
| ala | another | |
| * | milk | CX & Shelta See also * Cx |
| analth | wash, clean | |
| ar | on, after | |
| arark | similarly, same | |
| * | return, come back | CX & Shelta See also * Cx |
| areerth | again | |
| ashirth | down | |
| asturth | in, into | both a position preposition and a motion preposition |
| aswurth | on, upon | |
| atawp | alive | |
| athoamier | moreover, further | related to thoam="great" or "large" |
| * | town | stress on first syllable. CX & Shelta See also *Cx |
| * | town | stress on first syllable. CX & Shelta See also * Cx |
| awarth | 1 | one of a number of alternate words for "1" |
| awasth | away | |
| * | father | CX |
| ayeerth | again | |
| B | BACK TO TOP | |
| * | milk | CX & Gaelic |
| bageil | take, catch, catch(tak)ing | |
| been | fine, great | |
| bilsag | lips, mouth | |
| * | little | CX & Shelta |
| blaanoag | cow | |
| bladunk | prison | |
| bleiki | pot | |
| blinkam | candle | |
| blinkee | window | |
| blinklum | light | |
| Bloarna | Protestant | |
| blyantakh | shirt | |
| blyhunka | horse | |
| * | find, get, learn | CX & Shelta |
| bonar | good | possibly from French |
| * | rain | CX |
| boreens | side roads | |
| borer | drill, gimlet | |
| braas | food, sustinence | |
| braasi | feed, dine | |
| * | corn | CX & Shelta |
| * | brother | CX & Gaelic |
| * | brother | CX (from Gaelic) |
| * | idiot, crazy, go crazy | accent on last syllable CX |
| brikler | bowl, cup | |
| * | shoes | CX |
| brogees | short pants | |
| brouen | grain, corn | |
| * | non-Traveller | CX & Shelta See also * Cx |
| * | leave, esp.suddenly | CX |
| * | give | CX & Shelta See also * Cx |
| bulla | note, letter | |
| bulscur | wire | |
| * | great, fine | CX & Shelta See also * Cx |
| buriakht | goodness | Might be buryath instead? |
| burik | table | Leland's O.McD. said bord, which is Irish |
| bwikad | hold, contain | bwikads= "pincers" |
| byaig | steal, take | |
| byanag | hairdo | |
| byinniyan | little, bit | noun |
| byinniyath | smallness | noun |
| * | little, small | CX & Shelta See also * Cx |
| * | woman | CX,Cx and Shelta *) |
| C | BACK TO TOP | |
| * | old woman | CX (see karb) |
| chaidi | cap | |
| * | garment | CX & Shelta See also * Cx |
| chal | half | |
| chaldroch | knife | Leland's O.McD.uses it, but it's a Romany loan word |
| * | fire | CX & Shelta |
| * | get mad, grow irate | CX |
| * | lie | CX |
| * | thing, tax | CX |
| * | steal | CX |
| cherpyra | liar, imposter, con-man | |
| * | fat, obese | CX |
| * | stick | CX & Shelta |
| * | sicken | CX |
| * | clothes, suit | CX |
| * | lie, inform on | CX & Shelta verb and noun, (lyesk chirps = "tell fortunes") |
| * | big lie, whopper | CX |
| * | license plates | CX |
| * | non-Traveller | CX adj. (used with Cant words for woman, man, people, etc.) |
| D | BACK TO TOP | |
| Daalyon | God | |
| * | crazy, whacky | CX loaned from Scot.Cant? derived from Romany doddi doddi ? |
| daynoch | lose | |
| * | door | CX |
| djanadair | hammerer | Carpenter? or just somebody using a hammer? |
| djarp | true, real, excellent | really Irish more than Shelta or Cant |
| * | leave, go from | CX |
| * | self | CX and Shelta |
| djerri | bread | Leland's O.McD pronounces it this way |
| djigger | door | |
| djima | stick, rod, dowel | Leland's O.McD pronounces it chimma |
| djima thira | match | |
| djokh | this ? | guess based on Leland's O.McD usage |
| djonawdu | go | |
| djooka | beggar, tramp | definitely not a Traveller |
| djookh | clothes | |
| djorker | tin | |
| * | hear, listen | CX |
| djumik | swear | to take an oath |
| Djumnik | Sunday | |
| do | your | |
| dodjeel's | your | (shift apostrophe for plural) |
| dolimi | dark of night | |
| Dolsk | Protestant | |
| * | tell fortunes | CX Romany loan word? |
| dorahoag | twilight, evening | |
| dreeper | bottle | |
| * | lace | CX |
| * | lock | CX verb and noun |
| * | you | CX & Shelta See also * Cx |
| dunik | cow | |
| * | bread | CX & Shelta See also * Cx |
| E | BACK TO TOP | |
| elum | town | |
| * | do | CX |
| * | butter | CX & Shelta |
| F | BACK TO TOP | |
| * | lazy | CX |
| * | meat | fay-ya blanog= "beef" CX & Shelta |
| faychairp | pan | |
| * | face | CX |
| * | tooth | CX |
| feechir | sweep | noun |
| * | man | CX & Shelta See also * Cx |
| * | people | CX Cx May be pronounced * |
| * | meat | CX |
| * | date | CX |
| foargaree | tobacco | |
| foaros | fair (on fairground) | not really Shelta, borrowed from Romany |
| * | old man | CX |
| G | BACK TO TOP | |
| * | laugh | CX |
| * | soft, gullible, easy | CX |
| * | lame, crippled | CX |
| * | father | CX |
| * | alcohol, drink, beer | CX & Shelta See also * Cx |
| gafa | lame | |
| galapa | fern | |
| * | prostitute | CX |
| * | bad | CX and Shelta |
| * | bad luck | CX |
| * | extortion | CX |
| * | badness, evil | CX and Shelta |
| * | counterfeit money | CX,Cx see * * |
| * | bad | CX,Cx and Shelta (prob. stand-alone vers. of *, i.e. "It is bad.") |
| garo | bull | |
| gasal | donkey | |
| * | afraid, frightened | CX |
| gaverog | goat | |
| * | child | CX |
| gawp | kiss | noun and verb |
| * | curse | CX noun and verb |
| gawtcha | color | |
| gawth | young | |
| gawthena | young person | |
| gawthrin | child | |
| * | ask | CX |
| * | beggar | close to CX using Cant pronunciation instead of initial g' |
| * | gasoline | CX |
| gesthi | judge | noun |
| getcha | forgive | |
| getchal | forgiveness | |
| geth | hot | |
| geth | leave off, stop, wait | |
| getool | fear, tremble, shake | |
| * | socialize, dance, play cards | CX , also (s) stands for the cards themselves |
| giligopa | teapot | |
| gita | fear | |
| * | swindle | CX & Shelta See also * Cx |
| glask | grass | |
| glodakh | dirt, dirty | |
| * | man | CX & Shelta See also * Cx |
| * | money, wealth | CX |
| glootug | wool | |
| gloral | listening | |
| gloree | hear, listen to | |
| glowroag | ear | |
| glyawg | nit | |
| glyeeth | mountain | |
| * | kiss | CX |
| * | CX & Shelta | |
| goapan | umbrella | |
| goathi | give | |
| goikhera | infant, baby | |
| goikhil | all, every | more Irish than Shelta |
| gokhi | put, place, leave | verb |
| gokhyi | leave, put, place | Leland's O.McD. pronounces it goyhe |
| goo-op | cold | using O.McD.'s pronunciation |
| gooth | black | adjective |
| goothena | smith, blacksmith | Leland's O.McD. says "policeman" |
| gop | poor | |
| gopa (2) | furnace, smithy | Leland's O.McD. provides this meaning |
| gopa (1) | pot | |
| gored | money | |
| * | laugh | CX |
| gori | put, give | |
| goro | bull | |
| goshta | plenty, many | |
| * | ritz, airs, as in "put on airs" | CX |
| goveli | cow | |
| Graadni | Saturday | |
| graafsha | cursed, haunted | |
| graag | street, city | |
| graaltcha | welcome | |
| * | candy | CX |
| graansha | stranger | noun |
| graanye | ring | noun |
| graarch | field, acreage | |
| graarnog | flea | |
| * | fodder | CX |
| gradum | soul, life, spirit | |
| gragh | street | |
| grakht | quench, put out | |
| grakhton | week | |
| grakhu | hurry | |
| grakhul | towards | |
| grala | shoulder | |
| gramail | like, as | |
| * | tent, shelter? | CX |
| * | camping place, ground | CX |
| * | camp | CX verb |
| granail | knowledge | |
| * | know | CX |
| * | want | CX (1)&(2) obviously this has changed since 1878 or so |
| * | fraud | CX |
| granko | turkey | the animal, not the insult |
| granlesk | green | |
| granlum (1) | brass | |
| granlum (2) | neighbor | |
| granlum (3) | sauce, condiment | |
| granta | aunt | |
| granya | nail | verb |
| granyen | pregnant | it's possible O.McD. was playing a joke on Leland |
| graro | foal | |
| grasal | ass, donkey | |
| Grasano | Scot, Englishman | |
| grashano | mason | |
| graskal | open | verb |
| gratch | place | noun |
| * | watch, (look) | verb CX & Shelta |
| * | afraid, nervous, watchful | CX |
| grath | smoke | |
| gratha (1) | hat | |
| gratha (2) | choke | see grath |
| graura | summer | |
| graw (1) | love | |
| graw (2) | luck | |
| grawbaltha | able | |
| grawd | sod | unfortunate person, not grass |
| grawder | solder | |
| grawkin | boy, naif | overtones of naivety, even stupidity |
| grawser | saucer | |
| grawsi | please | verb |
| grawsta | satisfied | |
| grawth | gold, golden | |
| gray (2) | rise, arise, raise | all three verbs |
| gray (1) | tea | |
| graydan | face | noun |
| * | make, do | CX & Shelta |
| graydj | hair | |
| grayed | bridge | |
| grayer | hay | |
| graykhol | tooth | |
| graypul | chapel | |
| graysh | back, returned from | |
| graysol | beard | |
| graysub | pan | |
| graytcheen | bird, chicken | |
| gree-ed | silk | |
| greeltchoor | miller | |
| greenlesk | flax | |
| greentchoor | dinner | |
| greentha, -us | fair, market | |
| greenthala | friends | |
| greerse | hair | |
| greesh | heart | |
| greesk | straw | |
| greeson | news | |
| greetch | sick, ill | |
| greetchi | dinner | ?? I have the feeling McD. was a wise guy. |
| greetchyath | sickness, illness | |
| greetho | wind, breeze | |
| greewa | sweep | verb |
| greewog | fairy, pixie | |
| greisk | thread | |
| grentcha | quick | |
| gresco | voice | noun |
| grespan | show, exhibit | |
| * | dress | CX |
| grifi | female animal, mare | |
| * | coat | CX & Shelta |
| grimleoar | chimney | |
| grimsher | time, month, season | ext'd but indef. period; could mean year or weather |
| grinyoag | window | |
| grinysheg | foolish female | |
| gripa | supper | |
| gris (1) | fortune, charm | gris b.="fortune-telling woman" |
| gris (2) | soul | |
| griso | tell fortunes | verb |
| grisoag | beard | |
| grisool | watch | noun |
| gritchair | dinner | |
| * | onion | CX & Shelta See also * Cx |
| grokhta | snow | grokhta-nap = "snow-white" |
| grolan | noise | |
| grolsa | lazy | |
| grolsinyath | laziness | |
| groodj (3) | tea | |
| groodj (2) | feather | |
| * | hair | CX |
| * | sugar | CX & Shelta See also * Cx |
| groola | apple | |
| groona | gown, dress | |
| grooskal | awaken | |
| grooskill | punch | noun and verb |
| groosku | while | |
| grooth | new | |
| groothi | shut | |
| * | shop | |
| * | fur (fake) | CX |
| * | know, understand | CX |
| growda | soda | |
| growkin | lad, boy, naif | |
| growmug | egg | |
| growpa | soap | |
| * | work, job | noun and verb, CX and Shelta |
| * | store | CX |
| grugyim | curds, cottage cheese | |
| grukh (2) | shoot | verb |
| grukh (1) | frost, ice | |
| grunim | oat-meal | |
| grunkel | uncle | |
| grunsa | barrel hoop | |
| grup | wisp, trace | |
| grupawn | cup | |
| gruska | tinsmith's box | perhaps "budget" (see lampoag) |
| gruskal | open | verb and adjective |
| * | hat | CX |
| gruvog | market fair | |
| * | mouth | CX |
| * | work | CX |
| * | boot, shoe | CX & Shelta |
| guris | watch | noun |
| * | sit down | CX & Shelta |
| gushook | kettle | |
| gushu | saddle | |
| gushul | bowl | porringer |
| gut | wire | |
| * | black man | CX |
| gweesh | hay, straw | |
| gwilyi | lie down | |
| gyal | yellow | |
| gyay | with | using long "e" alternative |
| gyetchum | gate | |
| gyilikhon | book, bible | fairly soft g, almost "j" |
| gyoar | penis | ignoring palatalized r |
| gyofag | sow, female pig | |
| gyofan | horse | |
| gyoochra | beggar | |
| * | man | CX and Shelta ("old man") |
| * | monkey, bent old man | close to CX |
| H | BACK TO TOP | |
| haalor | cap | |
| haavari | home | |
| hal | across | |
| * | fake fur | CX |
| * | non-Travellers | CX |
| * | tough guy, stubborn man | CX |
| hawrum | morning | |
| * | run away | CX |
| helm | town | |
| hoo | you | singular only? |
| * | policeman | CX |
| horsk | across, over | |
| I | BACK TO TOP | |
| * | pay | CX |
| * | thing | CX and Shelta |
| * | there, over there, here | CX and Shelta |
| * | itself | CX |
| J | BACK TO TOP | |
| * | lame, crippled | CX |
| K | BACK TO TOP | |
| * | excrement, shit | CX |
| kadjoag | stone | |
| kam | son | |
| kamag | hen | |
| kameir | mother | |
| * | campsite | CX |
| kamreilidj | quarrel, fight | |
| * | dog | Shelta and CX,Cx * |
| * | buy | CX |
| kant | gill, fluid wt.(4 oz.) | |
| kar | where | |
| kara | canoe | |
| * | violently hurt, injure | verb CX and Shelta |
| * | injured, enraged | past tense of verb and condition CX and Shelta |
| karb | old woman, grandmother | |
| karbu | market | |
| kari | buy, pay | verb |
| * | sucker, fool, mark | CX |
| karmush | shirt | |
| karnaan | dungheap, shitpile | |
| karnag | undershorts | |
| karnish | meat | |
| kasin | cheese | |
| kawb | cabbage | |
| * | negro, black man | CX Romanichal? |
| kawlra | knife | |
| kawmpa | camp | English loan word, no doubt |
| * | face | CX |
| kay | where | see kar |
| * | cry, lament, wail(ing) | CX |
| * | house | CX |
| * | cry, lament, wail | CX |
| * | house | CX |
| * | hundred | CX |
| keihed | chair | |
| keinee | ears | |
| kena | house | ignoring palatalized k |
| * | okay, alright | CX |
| kesig | mare | |
| khureen | can | |
| * | Romany | CX |
| * | slob, (dirty) | CX and Gammon, noun when plain, adjective with (ty) |
| * | dirty | CX |
| * | trousers | CX & Shelta |
| kleetug | sheep | |
| * | fence | CX & Shelta |
| kleithon | wall, ditch, barrier | possible tawn kleithon ladu = "Tinker's dam?" |
| * | break, broken, smash(ed) | verb and condition CX & Shelta |
| * | mouth | CX |
| * | loudmouth | CX |
| kloodj | feather | |
| klootcha | wool | |
| klush | easy | |
| koali | foot | |
| koari | leg | |
| koarig | vulva | |
| * | foot | CX |
| kogi | turnip | |
| koi | pincers | see bwikads |
| koldni | bud | probably only Irish |
| kom | clergyman | |
| * | realize, know, understand | CX |
| * | swamp | CX |
| * | fool | CX |
| * | priest | CX & Shelta |
| kootchi | piece, bit, little (a) | noun |
| korib | warm | verb |
| kouvi | testacle | |
| * | stop, cease, wait | kradji duilsha's pee = "Shut your mouth!" CX & Shelta |
| * | shoes | CX |
| * | chicken | CX |
| kradjee(s) | live(s), occupy(ies) | |
| kran | farm | |
| kreemoom | sheep | |
| kreepukh | cat | |
| kreepyin | stool | |
| krees | saddle | |
| krimashth | clergyman | |
| * | old | CX and Shelta |
| krishena | oldster, eldest | |
| * | doctor | CX This has to be from English slang, "croaker." |
| * | hunger | CX & Shelta |
| kroo | smith | |
| krouder | string | |
| kroudug | hen, layer | |
| krush | clear out, run away | Gammon |
| kuldrum | asleep, sleep | condition and intr. verb |
| * | idiot | CX |
| * | sleep | CX |
| * | motel | CX |
| * | potato | CX & Shelta |
| * | feces, shit, solid waste | CX |
| * | horse, donkey | CX & Shelta |
| kurlim | close | verb |
| * | beautiful | CX |
| * | foot | CX |
| kutcher | cat | |
| * | jail, prison | CX |
| * | five dollars, pound | CX |
| * | five | CX |
| L | BACK TO TOP | |
| * | tell | CX & Shelta |
| * | exchange, swap | CX & Shelta |
| laabi | hide | verb |
| * | sucker, mark, victim | CX |
| * | girl | CX and Shelta |
| laakoon | stool | |
| laakr | tailor | |
| laask (2) | stool | |
| laask (1) | light, ignite | |
| laasoon | great- | used with gaater and nadjram, like thoam but use limited to lineage |
| * | dirty | CX |
| labairth | exchange, swap | verb |
| laburth | curse | noun and verb |
| * | shame(d), embarass(ed) | CX |
| ladjnyakh | daughter | |
| ladjram | soap | English loan word "lather" |
| * | dirt, earth, clay | CX & Shelta See also * Cx |
| lag | lead, conduct, manage | |
| lagoon | bowl with handle | porringer |
| lagprath | fish | noun |
| lampa | bag | lampa muntches = "tobacco-pouch" lampa gored = "purse" |
| lampayid | blanket | |
| * | budget of tools, materials | CX & Shelta See also * Cx |
| lanach | highway | |
| laproag | a fowl | |
| lashool | nice, pretty, flower, fine | |
| * | salt | CX & Shelta See also * Cx |
| lasp | taste | noun and/or verb? |
| lathrum | butter | ?from English "slather?" |
| * | look, peer | CX |
| laydoag | lady | |
| lee (2) | another, different | |
| * | bed | CX and Shelta |
| lee (1) | fresh | |
| lee (3) | queer, different | |
| leespa | dish, basin | |
| * | tell, teach | CX |
| liba | blood | |
| ligi | church | |
| linska | name | noun, see munik |
| * | wit, sense, intelligence | CX |
| * | crazy | CX |
| * | story, excuse, sales-pitch | CX and Irish |
| * | mare | CX |
| * | car, automobile | CX and Shelta (originally = "cart") |
| * | tent, cabin | CX & Shelta See also * Cx |
| lod | white, shiny? | would tend to assign "shiny" here and "milk-white" to nap |
| * | mud, soot, dirt (as in dirty) | CX & Shelta See also * Cx |
| loo-oag | meal | as in "oatmeal" or "ground meal" |
| loobeen | loaf (of bread) | |
| look | corner | noun |
| * | eye | CX & Shelta See also * Cx |
| loorkoag | ocular, eye-related | loorkoag slunya = "glasses", "spectacles" |
| loorp | flour | |
| loot | porridge, cereal | |
| losk | stool | How many words for "stool" did they have? |
| * | bastard | CX & Shelta See also * Cx |
| lowber | hit, strike, beat | see mish |
| * | marry | CX and Shelta |
| * | married | CX & Shelta |
| * | married | close to CX |
| lub | hole | |
| lub a koarig | vagina | |
| * | anus, asshole | part CX |
| * | tent | CX & Shelta See also * Cx |
| * | word | CX & Shelta |
| lud | blind | |
| ludjra | north | |
| ludus | light | |
| * | lousy | CX |
| * | deaf | CX |
| lugil | cry out, cry aloud | weep noisily Cx * lugil = "banshee" (bean sidhe) |
| * | ears | CX |
| lumee | tent cover, tarpaulin | |
| * | legs | CX |
| lurhan | shoes | |
| * | strong beer | CX and Shelta |
| * | consume heartily, eat | CX and Shelta |
| luskaan | herring | sardine, too? |