Once upon a time there were two distinct tribes of Gypsies, the Rom and the Zingar. The Rom were more numerous in Western Europe, the Zingaros in Eastern Europe. Either could be found in any place, however, but as time went on the Zingaros died out in Britain before the end of the 19th century. There are still gypsies in places like Hungary who are Zingaro. Gypsies in Britain used the word didichi (usually translated as little brother, but more properly rendered as little comrade) to describe a travelling person with whom they associated, who was not considered a true-bred gypsy. The word traveller can be applied to anyone with an itinerant lifestyle, so is a polite way of not offending people. Gypsies are proud of being gypsies, and do not like being called didichi, while to call a didichi a gypsy is inaccurate, and therefore insulting. It's rather like calling a Canadian an American. Tinkers were itinerant workers with metals, notably tin/solder, and would travel the countryside making, selling, and repairing pots and pans, and sharpening knives, etc.. Many gypsies possessed these skills and worked as tinkers, but not all tinkers were gypsies. Gypsy is a term used to describe a member of a race of people who are divided into two tribes, the Romany and the Zingary, just in the same way that Jew is a term used to describe a member of a race of people divided into two tribes, Judah and Israel. If you don't use a word accurately, the ignorance of its usage can make it an insult.