Secret Languages: How They Evolve from Slangs and Disappear into Common Vernacular

The concept of a language entirely crafted to thwart the authorities and prevent mainstream comprehension is intriguing. Such a language, if it existed, would have to be both accessible enough to be usable while being sufficiently obscure to defy those who seek to comprehend it. In reality, however, secret languages like cants largely transform into more widely recognized slangs over time. This article delves into the history, evolution, and eventual fate of these languages.

What Are Secret Languages?

Secret languages, or cants, were traditionally used by specific groups to communicate in a way that was intentionally obscure to outsiders, often to protect against surveillance and authority figures. They can be categorized into several classes, each serving different purposes:

Jargons: These were used by guilds or trade associations to keep their trade secrets. Cants: Used by socially marginal groups to hide their speech from the authorities. Initiate languages: These are used by religious groups to observe specific taboos around communication. Mother-in-law languages: These exist in certain cultures, particularly in Australia, to avoid taboo communication with relatives.

Distinct Characteristics and Linguistic Reality of Cants

The distinctiveness of cants is often more lexical than structural. Lexicon is used to keep the language secret, while syntax, morphology, and phonology tend to remain relatively close to the dominant language. A notable exception is Damin, an initiate language engineered to be quite distinct linguistically. However, in most cases, cants are more about semantic distinctions than radical structural changes.

Examples of Secret Languages

One prime example of a cant is Kaliarda, a language historically used by gay men and petty criminals in Greece. Kaliardaff, as it is known, was documented by Greek smut magazines and journalists in the early 20th century. Additionally, Polari, an English counterpart to Kaliarda, originally used by Italian ice cream vendors and carnies, eventually became a secrecy language within the theater community and gay subculture.

The Evolution of Cants into Slangs

Once the secrecy of a cant is revealed, it loses its utility as a cloaking mechanism. The initial function of keeping communication exclusive gives way to a new role as an identity marker. Over time, these languages often evolve into broader slangs used to declare and reinforce group identity.

Polari, for instance, went from being the jargon of ice cream vendors and carnies to the secretive language of theater workers and then to being an openly recognizable slang among gays. By the late 1960s, it was being used in open comic dialogues on the BBC, losing much of its original secretiveness. Patterns like this are common, where cants and jargons transition into more widely recognized slangs or lose their original function.

Conclusion

Secret languages, or cants, may not descend entirely from codes designed to thwart authorities. Instead, they often start as spoken languages used to protect specific groups from detection, only to ultimately integrate into broader dialects or slangs. Despite their initial intent to remain hidden, cants and jargons frequently become part of the mainstream, serving new roles in group identity and social dynamics.