Carny Lingo

[Benjamin Zimmer]

On Tue, 12 Jul 2005 19:04:28 -0400, Grant Barrett
<gbarrett at WORLDNEWYORK.ORG> wrote:

>On Jul 12, 2005, at 17:58, Benjamin Zimmer wrote:
>> So in ASCII-ized IPA, "ciazarn" is pronounced [ki at zArn] (or
>> [ki at zA:n] for non-rhotics), namely "carn" [kArn] (or [kA:n]) with
>> an infixed [i at z]. Is it fair to assume that the diphthong in [i at z]
>> is evidence that the pig-Latin developed in the South, where an "-
>> izz-" /Iz/ infix would be tensed to [i at z] according to the Southern
>> Shift?
>
>The Lexicon of Trade Jargon materials have a cite for this infix.
>It's not an antedating, but it is valuable to this discussion because
>it puts the infix in a different milieu.
>
>[start quote]
>
>"Jewelry Auctioneers' Jargon Obtained From Auctioneers and Jewelers
>on 42nd Street and 14th Street":
>
>Bleeazow the geeazee—a form of pig latin used by the
>auctioneers in talking to each other. This expression means "blow the
>gee" i.e. get rid of the crowd. The pig latin is formed by putting
>the sound "ee-a-ze" in the center of each word that is to be
>disguised. "Ceeazome" is 'come.' "Reeazummbers" is 'rubbers.'
>
>[end quote]
>
>The typed pages are dated only by a penciled "1938-39" which, given
>that it appears identically across many pages in the files, was
>probably added by a single person at the end of the project and does
>not represent the date those particularly terms were collected.
>Generally, however, little in the LOTJ files is earlier than 1937.

See also:

     David L. Schwartz, "Syrian Pig Latin"
     _AmSp_ Vol. 40, No. 1 (Feb. 1965), pp. 78-79.

     [E.A.S.], "More on Syrian Pig Latin"
     _AmSp_ Vol. 42, No. 3 (Oct. 1967), pp. 237-238.

Schwartz discusses the "-eerz-" infix (rhymes with "beers") that he
encountered in the Syrian section of Allentown, Pa.  The followup article
has reports on similar pig-Latins in various cities, and includes
information on carnival slang from Albert H. Roemer, who calls it
"Keyazarney". Roemer cites this article:

     Charles Wolverton, "Mysteries of the Carnival Language"
     _American Mercury_ XXXV (June 1935), pp. 227-231.


--Ben Zimmer