Polari

Polari
Polari
Palare, Parlary, Palarie, Palari
Region	United Kingdom
Native speakers	None
Language family	English-based slang and other Indo-European influences
Language codes
ISO 639-3	pld
Glottolog	pola1249
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Polari (from Italian parlare 'to talk') is a form of slang or cant historically used in Britain by some actors, circus and fairground performers, professional wrestlers, merchant navy sailors, criminals and sex workers, and particularly among the gay subculture. There is some debate about its origins,^[2] but it can be traced to at least the 19th century and possibly as early as the 16th century.^[3] Polari has a long-standing connection with Punch and Judy street puppeteers, who traditionally used it to converse.^[4]

^ Polari at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)
^ Quinion, Michael (1996). "How bona to vada your eek!". WorldWideWords. Archived from the original on 7 September 2019. Retrieved 20 February 2006.
^ Collins English Dictionary, Third Edition
^ Mayhew, Henry (1968). London Labour and the London Poor, 1861. Vol. 3. New York: Dover Press. p. 47.

[e18-1] Polari at Ethnologue (18th ed., 2015) (subscription required)

[2] Quinion, Michael (1996). "How bona to vada your eek!". WorldWideWords. Archived from the original on 7 September 2019. Retrieved 20 February 2006.

[3] Collins English Dictionary, Third Edition

[Mayhew-4] Mayhew, Henry (1968). London Labour and the London Poor, 1861. Vol. 3. New York: Dover Press. p. 47.

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