The people traditionally referred to as "Gypsies" are the Romani (or Roma) people. The term "Gypsy" is actually an "exonym"—a name given by outsiders—and is based on the mistaken 16th-century belief that the group originated in Egypt (hence, "E-gyptian"). In reality, linguistic and genetic evidence has proven that the Romani people originated in Northern India (specifically the Punjab and Rajasthan regions) and began their migration toward Europe between the 8th and 10th centuries. Their language, Romani, is closely related to Sanskrit. While the term "Gypsy" is still used by some members of the community (particularly in the UK), it is considered a pejorative slur by many others due to its history of being associated with illegality and persecution. The first World Romani Congress in 1971 officially adopted the term "Roma" to represent the ethnic group as a whole. Within the community, there are distinct subgroups like the Sinti (largely in Germany) and the Romanichal (in the UK).