Ian Hancock
Ian Francis Hancock
He is director of the Program of Romani Studies and the Romani Archives and Documentation Center at
Early life
Hancock was born in London in 1942. His mother, Kitty, is
In the late 1960s, he became a Romani rights activist after reading reports about
Romani studies
Hancock has published more than 300 books and articles on the Romani people and language (particularly the Vlax dialect). These works analyse the Romani people through not only Romani linguistics but also history, anthropology, and genetics. He has also appeared in the documentary American Gypsy. He is currently writing a book called On Romani Origins and Identity.[4]
Hancock supports some of
Contrary to the popular view that the Romani people are descended from
He also believes that the Romani language originates in a
As for Romani history, he points out a "Pariah syndrome" throughout time and space, culminating in the
One of Hancock's papers was cited by the Supreme Court of Canada in R v Krymowski, a case interpreting Canada's hate speech laws. The Court concluded that references to "gypsies" can be taken to mean a reference to the Romani people, bringing them within the protection of the Criminal Code provision.[6]
Creole language studies
Hancock is as well known in the field of linguistics, particularly in the area of
Hancock is recognised as one of the founders of the field of pidgin and
Hancock says that Guinea Coast Creole English ultimately gave rise to the pidgin and creole languages spoken in West Africa today, such as the
Hancock's views on the connections among the Atlantic creole languages are controversial. The strong similarities among these languages are undeniable, but many linguists prefer to explain the similarities by convergence rather than historical relationships. Other scholars argue that both factors played a role in the formation of the languages.
References
- ^ Ian Hancock: We Are the Romani People (Ame Sam E Rromane Džene), Hertfordshire, Great Britain. University of Hertfordshire Press 2002. Page 130.
- ^ "Ian Hancock". University of Texas at Austin Department of Linguistics. Retrieved 28 December 2017.
- ^ "UT report on Dr. Hancock". What's in a Name?: Professor takes on roles of Romani activist and spokesperson to improve plight of his ethnic group. University of Texas at Austin. Archived from the original on 5 February 2005.
- ^ Ian Hancock, On Romani Origins and Identity (Romani Archives and Documentation Center – University of Texas at Austin).
- ^ Ian Hancock. "The Emergence of Romani as a Koïné Outside of India." Scholarship and the Gypsy Struggle: Commitment in Romani Studies, Hertfordshire, Great Britain. University of Hertfordshire Press 2000.
- ^ R v Krymowski, 2005 SCC 7, [2005] 1 SCR 101.
- ^ "Ian Hancock". RomArchive.
External links
- Romani Archive and Documentation Center
- The Pariah Syndrome by Prof. Hancock at the Wayback Machine (archived 27 October 2009)
- Ian Hancock, Downplaying the Porrajmos: The Trend to Minimize the Romani Holocaust
- Searching for the 4th Nail Archived 18 May 2021 at the Wayback Machine, a documentary about American Roma, features Dr. Hancock.