Rare Language Learning: Polari

Rare Language Learning: Polari

If you have ever used the words:

- Naff

- Butch

- Camp

You have unknowingly been speaking the sociolect known as Polari, the language of queer people primarily used in the 30s to the 70s. Polari is now an endangered language, as labelled by the University of Cambridge

Something of note: Many resources out there imply (or state) that Polari was a language invented and used solely by white cis gay men, which is decidedly untrue. Many words of Polari come from drag culture, lesbians, and the Romani people and their language. The use of ‘the language of British gay men’ may be a more palatable title to the general public, but it is not to me. I did my best to curate a variety of resources, but unfortunately much of queer history has been lost many more decades than I’ve been alive, if you have any other resources for studying Polari I would love to read them, message me or leave a link in the replies.

Articles

Learn Polari, the Secret Language of the Gays ⚢ Out Magazine

Polari: The code language gay men used to survive ⚢ BBC

Polari and the Hidden History of Gay Seafarers ⚢ National Museums Liverpool

The Story of Polari, Britain’s Secret Gay Language ⚢ Fabulosa!

Polari People ⚢ Fabulosa!

Polari: a language born from prejudice ⚢ Englishpanish

The secretive gay language that gave LGBTQ people a voice ⚢ GAYTIMES

A brief history of Polari: the curious after-life of the dead language for gay men ⚢ The Conversation

Study Material

The Polari Bible ⚢ Internet Archive

Fantabulosa: A Dictionary of Polari and Gay Slang ⚢ Internet Archive

Sociolinguistics / Polari ⚢ StudySmarter

FlashCards ⚢ Quizlet

New Polari Translator ⚢ LingoJam

Polari: A sociohistorical study of the life and decline of a secret language. ⚢ Dissertation, University of Manchester

Polari: a language born from prejudice ⚢ Englishpanish

Simon Bowkett: a short blog in Polari for LGBT+ History Month ⚢ Civil Service LGBT+ Network

yeah :3

every time riot calls olivier ollie i gain +1 year on my life

yay!!!!

np: @silliesworld @pretzlgldpoisson (i don’t know anyone else and lou was already tagged lmao)

Picrew chain!!!

Make your blogsona* as a duck! Here's mine!

Link: https://picrew.me/share?cd=rf4PJJeLBP

Tag as many people as you like!

*How your blog would look as a x (in this case a duck). Include your online personality and the content you reblog, for example!

My tags: @almosthumanjessi @animal-lover-forever @anglptera @anything-for-my-moony-1971 @bleep-bloop-boo @bored-dromaeosaur @calypso10191 @chaoticgremlin-1 @cheekyboybeth @dandelionflowery @dracosleftarsecheek @erimeows @green-001 @here-am-i-sitting-in-a-tin-can @i-eat-so-much-grass @klondyke-the-bear @legaltrashgoblin @lemmeeatacrylicpaint @littlegayduck @maryland-officially @monarchofthequeerpotatoes @mushroom-music @nanochittle @names-confuse-me @nyx-taylors-version @onceinalifetimexperiencebuttwice @osmoticneuron @potato276 @ravenwordss @saintperseus-deactivated2024082 (does anyone know their new blog? idk y they have been deactivated) @savj2003 @schistostegapennata @sentientballofpeas @servinny @silentprincessofhyrule @someone-kill-the-ej @that-dam-heartstopper-fan @touslin @thecrazyalchemist @theetherealraphael @unstableunicornsofasgard @uhmmmmaixllezhere @yourlocalbadgerscales @2xhbergggg @26mayflowers :33

live-blogging juno steel and the case closed :3

PUCK!!!! PUCK FALCO!!!!!!

“yeah she’s the best we all know that” AHDNWHNRFMIDEIMSW

i’m actually obsessed with rita to an unhealthy degree

juno is doing so good!!! i love him <33333

juno & sasha? bonding over mommy issues lmao

SASHA? PLEASE GIRL GO DUMP YOUR LUG OF A BOYFRIEND PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE KISS ME INStead i mean what? who said that?

sasha?!!! please i feel so freaking bad for her :(

PUCK!!! PUCK FALCO!!! I LOVE THEM!!!

i hate ramses :3

breaking news: newtown is a metaphor for gentrification (how am i only putting that together now)

THEY’RE PARALLELS!!! REGGIE AND SASHA? FOR JUNO AND PETER AND AMS MKDC CRMJMKXRKMMKESZEK

MICK!!!!!!!!!!! MICK MERCURY!!!!!!!!!!!

juno is so freaking adorable when he’s excited omg

stop offering people tea you can’t actually make it

HOW DO YOU BURN TEA?!?????????!?!!

i’m actually screaming at the tea conversation i’m laughing so hard

“she looked just like you.” sobbing. SOBBING.

AHAHAJMIDIJSK JUNO AND MICK’S DYNAMIC KILLS ME EVERYTIME

“i love you mercury” MEDINIMDEMOSWMOQAOMAQL,A

“i love you too, rita.” INDSINDFWONWEIFJNIJFWDNIJCDNIJACENA

i’m manifesting jupeter reunion so bad

he learned how to make tea!!! let’s go!!!

babe the ending theme can’t start yet nureyev isn’t here :[

babe you can’t do this speech to me i’m gonna cry

KNBCDABKHADVKBJADFKBDAFBKHVADKHBAFDBKHADFHKB FEHKBSIFDKBUDSFUIHSFDBKJWGRHKSVDUIBSFRKHGUIRSGHUOWRGOBUGWRIUWRGOUBWRGBOUWRFHUOBOURSGHOIGSRNLJSRGHUORSFNLJSGRHOUNOJRSGHOUSRGJLNSGRBOUSDVLBJFSGBHKOJBRAVBHKRSVBHKRAFBHKSRGKBHFARKBHFRABHKBHKADFHBKADVOHUAEDK

[on the verge of tears] where is olivier. where is the weather witch. who took them. who is the azure angel. are they okay. where is my person. what does “the light in olivier’s eyes died” mean. are they dead or was that referring to lighting. will they come back or are they permanently in the sky. where are they. are they safe. can they see riot. guys. please.