Interactive Glossary
For the western reader the novel, The Shriek and the Rattle of Trains, is a journey into another world, Europe from an entirely opposite perspective. A glossary has been provided at the end of the book to help readers navigate. Here it is in an interactive version. Browse through it for a taste of the journey.
Just clink on the hyperlinked word to see more!
AG of L : American Guild of Labor, a fictitious organization.
Anschluss : (German) unification. Historically this word refers to the Nazi annexation of Austria, but here it is used to indicate the Soviet takeover in Eastern Europe.
apparatchik : (Russian) a mindless bureaucrat, especially in a socialist government.
Banat : a province of Western Transylvania, part of the plains that extend into Hungary. The main city is Timişoara.
La Bocca della Verità : (Italian) “The mouth of truth”. A famous stone sculpture set under the portico of a Roman church. It is claimed that the sculpture can recognize a liar and will snap shut on his hand.
Braşov : a large, historic city in the Carpathian Mountains.
British Council : The national cultural agency of Great Britain. it promotes British culture in the world.
Bucegi Mountains : a small section of the Southern Carpathian Mountains.
bună seara : (Romanian) “Good evening” .
bunică : (Romanian) grandmother
calea : (Romanian) a large street.
camera obscura : type of camera as large as a room. This Latin name meaning “dark room” dates from the Renaissance, but this type of instrument has been in use since ancient times.
Carpathian Mountains : A mountain range extending from Poland down through Romania. They make a great arc through the heart of Transylvania.
Casa Poporului : “The House of the People”. This enormous palace was still under construction when Ceauşescu was overthrown. It is one of the largest buildings in the world, and is now officially called the Palace of Parliament.
Casa Corpului Didactic : (Romanian) Teachers’ Center. These are found in each of Romania’s 41 counties, and they usually contain offices, a library and classrooms for training courses.
Ceauşescu, Nicolae : Communist dictator of Romania from March, 1965 to December, 1989.
Ceauşescu, Elena : Nicolae’s wife. Widely hated during her husband’s reign.
CFR : Caile Ferate din România. The Romanian National Railway.
Chaussee : (French) roadway. In Romanian spelling, Şosea.
Constanța : a city of Dobrogea, near the mouth of the Danube River at the Black Sea. Pronounced “Constantsa”.
Craiova : a major city in the Olțenia area of Wallachia.
cu plăcere : (Romanian) “with pleasure”, used as is “You’re welcome”.
da : (Romanian) yes.
Dacia : The ancient Roman province which later became Romania. It is also the name of the national automobile, formerly a state run industry.
Erdely : (Hungarian) Transylvania.
Ferenc körút : a major thoroughfare in Budapest.
Gara de Nord : (Romanian) North Station.
Iaşi : capital city of Romanian Moldova. Pronounced “Yash”.
internat : a school dormitory
irredentist : a somewhat extremist political view calling for the return of some land from a neighboring country.
Keleti Pu. : (Hungarian) the Eastern Railway Station.
la Lupa Capitolina : (Latin) the Wolf feeding Romulus and Remus. The symbol of ancient Rome.
La revedere : (Romanian) Goodbye.
László Tökés : A minister in the Hungarian Reformed Church, whose suppression led to the Timişoara revolt. He was later President of the UDMR.
mamaligă : A type of cornmeal polenta. Traditional in Romania.
Maramureş : (spelled Maramuresh in the text) a historic province of Northern Transylvania.
minunat : (Romanian) wonderful.
noapte bună : (Romanian) “Good night.”
occupat : (Romanian) occupied.
Olțenia : a historical province in the region of Wallachia.
Pannonia : (Latin) The Roman province in the Danube area. Over the centuries it has become associated with Hungary.
Piața (spelled Piazza in text) : (Romanian) plaza. The pronunciation is identical to the Italian form piazza.
Podul Mic : a fictional resort town in the Bucegi Mountains, halfway between Sinaia and Braşov.
pu. : (Hungarian) short for “pályaudvar”, railway station.
puszta : (Hungarian) the extensive plains that cover much of Hungary and extend into the Banat area of Romania.
putti : (Italian) baby angels seen in Baroque and Rococo paintings.
Rom, Roma : language and culture of the Roma people, commonly called “gypsies”. Not to be confused with Romanian or Roman.
Schadenfreude : (German) joy derived from seeing other people’s misfortunes or suffering.
şmecker (spelled schmecker in the text) : (Romanian) deceitful or a deceitful person.
Securitatea : Romanian secret police under the Communist dictatorship.
Selbstbewusstsein : (German) self dignity.
Siebenburgen : (German) Historical name for Transylvania, used by the German inhabitants.
Soros Foundation : A private foundation instituted by the Hungarian American financier George Soros to promote democracy, especially in Eastern Europe.
stradă : (Romanian) street.
Tănase, Maria : (1913-1963) Well known singer of Romanian traditional music.
terra terra : (Italian) down-to-earth, nitty-gritty
țigan (spelled tsigan in text) : (Romanian) “gypsy”
tsiganerie : gypsy mess.
Timişoara : city of Western Transylvania. Pronounced Tee-mee-schwa-ra.
Tîrgu Mureş (Târgu Mureş) : a city in central northern Transylvania. Pronounced Turgu Muresh.
țuică : (spelled tsuica in the text) plum brandy, often homemade, the national alcoholic drink of Romania.
UDMR : acronym for Uniunea Democrată Maghiară din România, or Democratic Union of Hungarians in Romania. An ethnic Hungarian political alliance in Romania. In 2006, it became part of the governing coalition.
-ul : (Romanian) when used as a suffix, this means “the” for masculine singular nouns.
USAID : United States Agency for International Development. The principle conduit of foreign aid monies overseas.
utca : (Hungarian) street.
Wallachia : one of Romania’s four regions, along with Dobrogea, Transylvania and Moldova. These regions are further divided into provinces (e.g., Banat and Olțenia) and then again into smaller units called counties (e.g., Timiş County).
vă rog : (Romanian) please.
