Here is a detailed explanation of the linguistic evolution of Polari, tracing its roots from Elizabethan vagabonds to its peak in 1960s London, and its eventual decline and modern renaissance.

What is Polari?

Polari (also spelled Parlare, Parlary, Palare) is a form of cant slang—a cryptic language used by specific subcultures to communicate secretly. While most famous for its association with gay men in Britain during the mid-20th century (when homosexuality was illegal), it is actually a linguistic mosaic stitched together from centuries of outsider history.

It was never a full language with its own grammar; rather, it was a lexicon of several hundred words grafted onto English grammar, allowing speakers to discuss illicit activities, sexual preferences, and police presence without being understood by "outsiders."

Phase 1: The Deep Roots (16th–19th Century)

Polari is not an invention of the 20th century; it is an evolution of several "low" languages merging over hundreds of years.

1. Thieves’ Cant and Parlyaree

The earliest ancestor is Thieves' Cant, the secret language of criminals and vagabonds in Elizabethan England. However, the most direct parent is Parlyaree, a slang spoken by travelling entertainers, jugglers, and street vendors in the 17th and 18th centuries. * Etymology: The word "Polari" comes from the Italian parlare (to speak). * Italian Influence: Because many Punch and Judy showmen and organ grinders were of Italian descent, Italian words flooded the lexicon. * Dona (woman/girl) comes from donna. * Nanty (no/none) comes from niente. * Omi (man) comes from uomo.

2. Lingua Franca

As Britain became a naval superpower, sailors returning to London’s docklands brought Mediterranean Lingua Franca—a pidgin mixture of Italian, French, Greek, Spanish, and Arabic used for trade across the Mediterranean. This maritime influence introduced words relating to the sea and trade into the London underworld.

3. Shelta and Romani

Travelling communities in Britain, specifically Irish Travellers and the Romani people, contributed significantly to the vocabulary. * Cushty (good) and chav (boy/child) are of Romani origin.

Phase 2: The Coalescence (Late 19th–Early 20th Century)

By the late Victorian era, these disparate groups—circus performers, sailors, prostitutes, and criminals—began to overlap socially in the seedier parts of London (like Soho and the East End).

The Theatrical Connection

Polari found a stable home in the theatre. Actors, chorus girls, and dancers—often considered social outcasts themselves—adopted the slang. Because the theatre was a relatively safe haven for gay men, the language began to shift from a general "outsider" slang to a specifically "queer" code.

Backslang and Rhyming Slang

During this period, Polari absorbed elements of Cockney Rhyming Slang and Backslang (pronouncing words backward). * Ecaf (face) is backslang. * Riah (hair) is backslang. * Barnet (hair) is rhyming slang (Barnet Fair = Hair).

Phase 3: The Gay Subculture and the "Golden Age" (1920s–1960s)

This is the era where Polari became a linguistic weapon for survival.

The Necessity of Secrecy

Until the Sexual Offences Act of 1967, homosexual acts were illegal in England and Wales. Gay men faced imprisonment, hard labor, or chemical castration. Police frequently raided bars and public toilets (known in Polari as cottages) using agents provocateurs.

Polari evolved into an anti-language. It served two main functions: 1. Encryption: It allowed gay men to speak openly in public places (pubs, buses, queues) without the "straight" world understanding. A man could compliment another man's appearance or warn of police presence (The Lily Law) instantly. 2. Identity: Speaking Polari was a way of signalling membership in the "club." It created a sense of camp solidarity and shared humor in the face of oppression.

Sample Construct

A typical sentence might look like this:

"Vada the bona dish with the riah shushers on his ogles." Translation: "Look at the attractive man with the hair-stylist on his eyes (eyelashes)."

• Vada = Look
• Bona = Good/Nice
• Dish = Attractive person (usually male)
• Ogles = Eyes

Feminisation of Language

A distinct feature of this era’s Polari was the feminisation of peers. Men referred to one another as "she" or used female names. This was partly satirical—mocking the rigid gender roles of the time—and partly a way to deflect suspicion; if eavesdroppers heard men talking about "her," they would assume the men were discussing women.

Phase 4: Mainstream Exposure and Decline (Late 1960s–1970s)

Ironically, the moment Polari became famous was the moment it began to die.

Round the Horne

In the mid-1960s, the BBC radio comedy Round the Horne introduced two camp characters named Julian and Sandy (played by Hugh Paddick and Kenneth Williams). They spoke rapid-fire Polari to the confused straight host ("Mr. Horne"). * Millions of Britons tuned in every Sunday. * While the scripts were hilarious, they effectively "outed" the secret language. Words like bona (good) and vada (look) entered common knowledge.

Decriminalisation (1967)

The partial decriminalisation of homosexuality in 1967 removed the urgent necessity for a secret code. As the Gay Liberation Front rose in the 1970s, a new generation of gay activists rejected Polari. They viewed it as: * Old-fashioned: A relic of the "closet." * Oppressive: A symbol of shame and hiding. * Sexist: Criticized for its camp, feminising stereotypes which the new "macho" gay culture (clone culture) wanted to shed.

By the 1980s, Polari had largely vanished from active use, remembered only by the older generation.

Phase 5: Modern Renaissance (21st Century)

In recent decades, Polari has been reclaimed as a piece of queer cultural heritage.

• Academic Interest: Linguists like Paul Baker have studied and catalogued the language extensively.
• Cultural Pride: Modern LGBTQ+ people, no longer needing it for safety, view it as a fascinating artifact of their ancestors' resilience.
• Pop Culture: It appears in songs (Morrissey’s Piccadilly Palare), literature, and drag culture (prominently featured in RuPaul's Drag Race UK).
• Religious Usage: In a controversial but notable event, the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence (a queer order of "nuns") translated the Bible into Polari (e.g., "Glory be to the Auntie, and to the Homie Chav...").

Key Polari Glossary

To understand the "flavor" of the language, here are some essential terms:

Summary

Polari is a linguistic fossil of British social history. It began as the language of beggars and circus folk, transformed into a shield for a persecuted sexual minority, was exposed by comedy, rejected by revolutionaries, and finally enshrined as a cultural treasure. It is a testament to how marginalised groups use language to build fortresses of safety and community.