Cant facts for kids

Have you ever wanted to send a secret message to your friends that no one else could understand? Well, some groups of people use a special kind of language called a cant! A cant is like a secret code or a special way of talking that only people in a certain group understand. They use it to communicate privately or to keep outsiders from knowing what they are saying. You might also hear these special languages called argot, anti-language, or secret language. Each name has a slightly different meaning, but they all refer to a way of speaking that is unique to a specific group.

Where the Word "Cant" Comes From

The word "cant" has an interesting history, and experts have a couple of ideas about where it began.

One idea is that "cant" comes from old Irish or Scottish words like caint, which means "speech" or "talk." This special way of speaking might have developed among traveling groups in Ireland and Scotland. These groups spoke both Irish or Scottish Gaelic and English, and over time, they created their own unique languages. For example, the Irish Traveller community has a cant they call Gammon, also known as Shelta.

Another idea is that the word "cant" came from the Latin word cantāre, which means "to sing." Long ago, it might have referred to the chanting of religious people. Later, it was used to describe the way beggars spoke, and eventually, it became a term for the secret language used by some groups, including those involved in less-than-legal activities.

What is an Argot?

An argot is another type of special language, often used by groups to keep their conversations private. Imagine a secret code that only your club members know! The word "argot" comes from French.

Sometimes, "argot" can also mean the special words used in a particular job, hobby, or field of study. For example, scientists might use specific terms that other people don't understand. This is similar to what we call jargon.

The famous writer Victor Hugo wrote about argot in his 1862 novel Les Misérables. He called it "the language of the dark" and "the language of misery," showing how it was used by people in difficult situations.

The idea of "argot" as a secret language was first written down in 1628. It might have come from the name les argotiers, which was used for a group of people who were involved in less-than-legal activities at that time.

Most argots are based on a regular language, but they change some of the words. They might replace common words with new, secret ones. This makes it hard for outsiders to understand. For example, in France, there are argots like Verlan and Louchébem. These change words in a special way but keep the same basic grammar as French.

Sometimes, words from an argot can even become part of everyday language! For instance, the French word loufoque, meaning "crazy" or "goofy," started as an argot word.

Understanding Anti-Languages

The idea of an anti-language was first explored by a linguist named Michael Halliday. He used this term to describe the special language of an "anti-society." An anti-society is a small group that forms inside a larger society. They create their own community as a different way of living or to show resistance to the main society. For example, some researchers studied anti-societies made up of prisoners.

These groups create anti-languages to keep their conversations secret from outsiders. It also helps them build their own unique culture that fits their different way of life. Anti-languages are different from regular slang or jargon. They are often used by groups who feel separate from the main society, like prisoners or certain youth groups.

Anti-languages use the same basic grammar as their main language. However, they change the vocabulary in unusual ways. They might borrow words from other languages or create new words by combining existing ones. Sometimes, they even change words by reversing sounds or letters, like saying "elppa" instead of "apple." This makes anti-languages very distinct and not just a different way of speaking an existing language.

Studying anti-languages helps us understand how language connects to how a group lives and interacts. Michael Halliday identified some key features of an anti-language:

• It comes from a group that is a conscious alternative to the main society.
• It often involves creating new words from old ones.
• The grammar stays mostly the same, but the vocabulary changes.
• Its main purpose is to allow communication that outsiders cannot understand.
• It is a very important part of how the group maintains its unique way of life.

Some examples of anti-languages include Cockney rhyming slang from London, Verlan from France, and the grypsera used in Polish prisons.

Cant Around the World

The word "cant" is used in different ways in various places.

In parts of Ireland, especially in Connacht, "cant" can mean an auction. This is when people gather to sell things, often on a special "fair day." It can also mean a lively or interesting conversation.

In Scotland, there are two different special languages called "cant."

• Scottish Cant is a mix of Scots and Romani languages. It is spoken by some traveling groups in the lowlands of Scotland.
• Highland Traveller's Cant (also called Beurla Reagaird) is based on Scottish Gaelic. It is used by the Highland Traveller community.

These two Scottish cants are very different from each other, and speakers of one cannot understand the other.

In 2009, there were reports that prisoners in an English prison were using a kind of "Elizabethan cant." They used old-fashioned words to talk to each other so that the guards wouldn't understand.

Sometimes, "cant" is added to other words to describe modern specialized languages. For example, "medicant" refers to the special language used by doctors and medical professionals.

See Also

• Code word (figure of speech)
• Code talker
• Jargon
• Rhyming slang
• Shibboleth