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Gay slang or LGBT slang in linguistics refers to a form of English slang used predominantly among LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) people.
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Differences and similarities to Polari
Modern gay slang has origins in the English language. Polari was a cant or cryptolect used in the gay subculture in Britain. Polari derives from Italian languages, Mediterranean Lingua Franca, Yiddish and French. [1] Another difference between gay slang and Polari is that gay slang has become descriptive of the overall experience of life in the gay community, whereas Polari includes names for common words that have no exclusive relation to the LGBT culture (e.g., "glossies" for "magazines").[1] Gay slang also coexists along side regional slang and many gay men will combine them. Although there are differences, modern gay slang has adopted many polari words, as detailed in the table below:
| Glossary of gay slang taken from Polari | |
| Word | Approximate meaning |
| basket | the bulge of male genitals through clothes |
| bumming | the act of gay sex |
| chicken | young boy |
| cottaging | having or looking for sex in a public toilet |
| zhoosh | style |
Cultural impact
Many terms that originated as gay slang have become part of the popular lexicon. For example, the word drag was popularized by Hubert Selby, Jr. in his book Last Exit to Brooklyn. "Drag" has been traced back by the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) to the late 19th Century. Conversely, words such as banjee, while well-established in a subset of gay society, have never made the transition to popular use.
Footnotes
References
- Baker, Paul (2002). Fantabulosa, a dictionary of Polari and gay slang. Continuum, 242 pages. ISBN 0826459617.
- Rodgers, Bruce (1972). The Queens' Vernacular : a gay lexicon. Straight Arrow Books, 265 pages. ISBN 0879320265.
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See also
External links
- Dictionary of Gay Slang and Historical Terms
- GLTB Slang Dictionary
- Lavender Linguistics, from Guardian Unlimited
- Polari: British Gay Slang
- Queer Slang in the Gay 90's
- qWords.org — wiki-based dictionary of GLBTI slang, epithets, etc.
- Sexuality as Identity: Gay and Lesbian Language
- "Gay Language Guide" - gay slang in various languages: French, German, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, Portuguese, Japanese, Hungarian, Russian, Thai
