Polari has been the secret language of gay men and women through the twentieth century. Originally used to conceal and mask, Polari is an ever-changing vocabulary employing words from criminals, prostitutes, and beggars, rhyming slang and back slang, Italian, Yiddish, and French. Today, Polari and gay slang is less a language of concealment and more a language of specialization and attitude used to laugh, bitch, gossip, and cruise. Newly issued in paperback, Fantabulosa is an essential companion to the closeted world of the double entendre and to the outrageous lexicon of contemporary gay and lesbian life. With its comprehensive entries and in-depth, often graphic etymology, readers–whether familiar or unfamiliar with Polari and gay slang–will find the dictionary informative, humorous, and shocking by turns.
ISBN: 978-0-8264-7343-1
