4 secret languages from around the world 

Have you ever thought of creating a language with your friends that only you can understand? Sounds fun right? From coded messages sent by spies to be whispered words between members of underground communities, the world is full of hidden ways to communicate. Those who use secret languages can keep their thoughts, beliefs and actions hidden using code words, symbols and entire alternate languages. Did you know that the Roman dictator Julius Caesar invented the first hidden message system called the Caesar Box around 100 BC? From Julius Caesar’s cipher to modern-day encrypted text messages, secret languages have played a captivating role in human history. So, get ready to learn about some of the secret languages of the world. 

Nushu 
Around 15 BC, the women of Huan province in China developed Nushu, or women’s writing, a female-only language. Back then, women were not allowed any education. So, what did they do? They invented their own secret language! Nushu characters take up less space and have more curved lines than Chinese characters. Similar to Chinese, they are read from top to bottom and right to left. They are primarily composed of phonograms (letters that represent a sound). As the women’s empowerment movements became influential in the 1920s, the Nushu language declined because women could gain access to education. However, it was a closely guarded secret that only became known to the West in the 1980s. The Nushu script is still being studied at China’s Nushu Culture Research Centre. You can even find a dictionary of Nushu with over 1,800 characters and notes on grammar.  

Pig Latin 
Pig Latin is a secret language used by kids, and sometimes adults, to communicate among themselves. It was invented by American kids and first used in 1869. It has been referred to as Hog Latin, Goose Latin and Dog Latin too. So, how does it work? In this secret fun language, the first letter or group of letters is played around with! If it starts with a vowel, you add ‘way’ to the end. If it begins with a consonant followed by a vowel, you move the consonant to the end and add ‘ay’ as a suffix. Here’s an example: Ianxy. It is formed from the word ‘nix’. And if it starts with two consonants, you move both to the end and add ‘ay’ after them. ‘Amscray’ is an example. It has been derived out of the word ‘scram’. Interestingly, some Pig Latin words have even been adopted into the English language as well! Found the rules difficult? Not to worry. You can get your own English-Pig Latin converter online and start speaking in code. 

Carnie 
Did you know that professional wrestlers have their own secret language? It’s known as Carnie talk. It’s been around since the early days of wrestling when carnival workers would use it to communicate during mock public matches. Carnie adds ‘eaz’ before the vowel in every syllable, turning ‘is’ into ‘eazis’ and ‘Kelley’ into ‘Keazelleazey.’ But it’s not just a twist on English words. Carnie has its own unique slangs too. For example, ‘Andre shot,’ refers to exaggerating a wrestler’s physique, and ‘Batman match’, means a boring match. There’s even ‘beat down’ for when a wrestler is attacked by a group, and ‘canned heat’ for added screams and boos in the arena. So, the next time you watch wrestling, listen for a little bit of Carnie! 

Boontling 
Boontling is the quirky and unique language of Boonville, California, where it’s been spoken since the late 1800s. This lingo is a mix of Native American languages, Spanish and slang words made up by the locals. But what makes Boontling so unique is that the slang words are based on the names and traits of Boonville residents. For example, ‘jeffer’, meaning ‘fire’, was coined after a man who loved starting fires. Similarly, ‘charlie’, meaning to embarrass someone, was formed after a person called Charlie Ball, and ‘shoveltooth’, meaning doctor, was after a doctor with wide teeth. Fun, isn’t it? The art of speaking Boontling is called ‘harp’.