Polari (language)


 * This page describes the language; for other uses of the term, see Polari (disambiguation).

Polari is a language or slang used by gay people (particularly gay men). According to Wikipedia it is also used "by actors, circus and fairground showmen, criminals, [and] prostitutes."

Polari was a feature of gay culture up to the 1960s, when its use began to decline as greater public and legal acceptance of homosexuality made it no longer so necessary to have a private language.

The characters Julian and Sandy on the radio programme Round the Horne made much use of Polari, giving it a wider audience.

In 2005 the Manchester house of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence produced a Polari version of the Bible, based on the King James Version with key words rendered in Polari.