You’ve probably heard of Pig Latin before – it’s a secret language (or cant) popularised on school playgrounds and children’s TV. The initial consonant is moved to the end and an extra syllable, usually ei, is added (Pig Latin would therefore be igpay atinlay), making a sentence sound like gibberish. Or maybe you made up a secret language when you were young to talk to your siblings or friends with in front of your parents. Secret languages exist everywhere, driven by the need to communicate without wanting surrounding people to know what you’re saying. This is, of course, even more important when your message could make you a target of hate or violence.
Polari (also known as Parlare and Palare) is another, much less well known, secret language. Its name derives from the Italian word ‘to talk’ (parlare), and it has been used by a huge range of people: actors, criminals, circus performers, sailors, and the queer community. It has mostly fallen out of use, but it was mainly found in the 19th century, with some records indicating that it could have been used as far back as the 16th century.
Polari is comprised of a mixture of Italian, Romani, rhyming slang, sailor slang and thieves’ cant, and is thought to have developed from an earlier form called Parlyaree, which was used by sailors in the Mediterranean. After being introduced to the UK, Parlyaree became enriched with slang from other sources, such as Cockney. French, Yiddish and American air force slang, significantly broadening its vocabulary.
In a time when homosexuality was still illegal, Polari allowed the queer community to communicate openly in public, with much less fear of detection from undercover policemen and a hostile public. It could be used to identify others from the community, talk about people in front of them without their knowledge, or discuss less socially permittable topics without fear of persecution. Circles which were often more permissive of non-heteronormative behaviour, such as circuses and the theatre, would therefore attract a greater quantity of queer people, leading to the association of Polari with these areas.
That said, the language had largely fallen out of use by the late 60s. This was following the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality in England and Wales, resulting in a decreased need for a secretive subculture. This could have also been due to the use of Polari on a radio show, round the Horne, causing it to lose some of its secrecy, which was what made it attractive to speakers. Another contributing factor in Polari’s decline was the increasing interest in gay pride and liberation.
But you might be surprised to hear that some Polari words are still in use today, and you may well use them yourself. Naff (something tacky or bad) is still in the UK slang vernacular, and you’ve probably heard zhoosh (to improve or make something smarter) if you’ve watched Queer Eye or Drag Race. Butch, camp and ogle are all also words that come from Polari.
Polari represents an interesting pattern of language. It grew out of necessity for safe communication, and flourished in the heart of a vibrant subculture, but rather than the decline of this culture, it was a shift in social attitudes that led to a decrease in speakers. Sadly, many of those who spoke Polari are no longer alive, but, if we listen closely, we can hear how its impacting legacy lives on.
