Annual Report Discrimination 2015

Cases of discrimination in the media

53.

National.

Dignity.

Direct discrimination.

The latest edition of the RAE (Royal Academy of the Spanish Lan-

guage) Dictionary, which was available for purchase on 20 October 2014, replaced the 4th definition of the word

“Gitano” which used to read “one who cheats or acts deceitfully,” with a new definition, i.e. “trapacero” which,

according to the 23rd edition of the dictionary, means “the use of cunning, deceit and lies to achieve a goal.” The

word comes from “trapaza” which means “a misleading and unlawful act used to gain advantage in a purchase,

sale or exchange”).

We considered this unacceptable and discriminatory and therefore initiated a joint campaign together with the

member NGOs of the State Council of the Roma People and the Roma Cultural Institute. We drafted a commu-

niqué which we supplemented with links to other news and opinion including RAE’s communiqué of 6 November

and reactions to the latter which included a rally at the Academy’s headquarters on the 7th which the El Pais

newspaper covered.

On 8 April 2015 (International Roma Day) the organisations belonging to the State Council of the Roma Peo-

ple launched a social awareness-raising campaign including several posters and a spot featuring the slogan ‘A

discriminatory definition breeds discrimination’ and the hashtags (Twitter key words) #YoNoSoyTrapacero

#YoNoSoyTrapacera. For more information see:

A few days later (16 April) a meeting was held between representatives of the State Council of the Roma People

and the Roma Cultural Institute and the Royal Academy of the Spanish Language to discuss this issue.

At that meeting the RAE agreed to work together with the State Council of the Roma People and the Roma Cul-

tural Institute, in coordination with other institutions and experts in this field, to take a closer look at the definition

of the word ‘gitano’ and conduct lexicographic studies with a view to improving upon the way the Roma people

are depicted through the written word.

We would stress the active role played by the Ombudsman in this case. It has been engaged in discussions

with the RAE since 2013 convincing the latter to partially amend the different definitions of the Spanish terms

‘gitanada’ (Roma-like) and ‘gitano’ (Roma) in the 23rd edition of its dictionary.

CASE 53