Cant is an example of a cryptolect, a characteristic or secret language used only by members of a group, often used to conceal the meaning from those outside the group.

The original meaning of "Cant" was a secret language supposedly used by rogues and vagabonds in Elizabethan England. This Thieves' Cant was a feature of popular pamphlets and plays particularly between 1590 and 1615, but continued to feature in literature through the eighteenth century. There are questions about how genuinely the literature reflected vernacular use in the criminal underworld.

In modern times "Cant" is used sometimes to refer to Shelta (alternatively known as Sheldru, Gammon, or The Cant), the cryptolectic language of Irish Travellers based on Irish and English.

An example of a cant language which has been introduced widely into the mainstream is the homosexual Polari language which was used extensively in the BBC radio series Round the Horne during the 1960s.

Examples of cants

• Thieves' cant -- language used mostly in former times by thieves, beggars and hustlers.
• Shelta language/Gammon/Travellers' cant - spoken by some Irish Travellers
• Polari (or Palare) - spoken by members of the British gay community in the 20th century, made well-known by Julian and Sandy in the radio show Round the Horne.
• Rechtub klat - Australian butchers' backwards code-speak
• Carny - The secret language of carnival workers
• Barallete
• Bron
• Gacería
• fala dos arxinas
• Rotwelsch - spoken by German criminals

See also

• Jargon
• slang
• lingo
• argot
• patois
• vernacular

Language varieties and stylesCant languagesSlang

Criptolecte | Cryptolecte | Skjulespråk | Løynspråk