Science Fair Project Encyclopedia The Roma people (pronounced
"rahma," singular Rom, sometimes Rroma, and Rrom) along with the
closely related Sinti people are commonly known as Gypsies in
English. They are a traditionally nomadic people who originated
in northern India but currently live worldwide, chiefly in
Europe. Most Roma speak some form of Romany, a language closely
related to the modern Indo-European languages of northern India
and Pakistan. Modern anthropology has related Romany language to
Punjabi and Pothohari spoken in northern India & Pakistan. Roma
were widely believed to have psychic powers (see the popular
stereotype of the Gypsy fortune-teller), and some romantics
attribute the invention of the Tarot cards to them. This may
reflect the belief that the Roma, being of alleged Egyptian
origin, had knowledge of lost arts and sciences of the ancient
Egyptians. Name and language The Rroma are popularly known in
English as Gypsies or Gipsies, a word which is derived from
Egypt, from a former belief