(21/10/2015)
Spain’s Royal Language Academy fails to remove derogatory definition of ‘gypsies’
The derogatory definition of gypsies as one “who deceives or maneuvers to cheat” continues to appear in the online dictionary of the Spanish Royal Language Academy. However, after protests by the Gypsy State People’s Council, the Academy has now included a modification specifying that the term is offensive or discriminatory.
Spain has around 750,000 Roma people out of its total population of 47million. Although Roma people form an important part of Spanish society and culture, they continue to be discriminated in areas such as housing, education and jobs.
Soraya Post, Co-president of ARDI and Chair of ARDI’s Anti-Roma racism/Anti-Gypsyism Working Group, commented: “I remain concerned by the Academy’s decision not to remove the definition from its dictionary. Its continued presence hinders efforts to tackle discrimination against Roma people and negative stereotyping.”