Secret Languages

From Nushu to Polari, explore the history of some of the world's secret languages.

Hosted byHelen Zaltzman

Curated byJorge Patino, Hark Editor

5 CLIPS22 MINS

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Boontling, Northern California’s Secret Language

Apple-head, boo and briney, or in English, girlfriend, potato and ocean. This is Boontling, a coded language developed by the residents of Boonville, California, during the late 1800s, where words, more than concepts, represent stories.

Boontling, Northern California’s Secret Language

Some Noise

5 MINS

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Polari, the Coded Language of Gay British Men in the 60s

When homosexuality was illegal, coded languages like Polari emerged as a method of survival and community.

Polari, the Coded Language of Gay British Men in the 60s

The Allusionist

5 MINS

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Verlan, France’s "Cool" Inverse Slang

Have you ever reversed the syllabic order of a word, even whole sentences, in order to hide what you are trying to say from others? Well, that’s Verlan, France’s inverse “cool” slang used by kids and adults alike.

The Earful Tower: Paris

2 MINS

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The Most Linguistically Endangered Place on Earth

What does it mean for a language to die and how does it affect the people who speak it? Today, more than half of the indigenous languages rooted in Northern California are on the brink of extinction.

The Most Linguistically Endangered Place on Earth

Emergence Magazine Podcast

4 MINS

Clip 5 of 5

Nushu, the Language of Feminism in China

Nushu was a coded language developed by women in Jiangyong County, China, at a time when patriarchal Confucian practices didn’t allow them to leave their homes or be educated.

Nushu, the Language of Feminism in China

PRI: Arts and Entertainment