Polari
Polari is a form of slang or jargon used predominately by queer folk in the UK over the last 100 years. It had its heyday in the 1950s and came to the attention of the British public in the 1960s via the popular radio comedy show 'Round the Horne' . The show featured two screamingly camp Polari speaking characters, Julian and Sandy; resting actors who found themselves in a series of hilarious situations and business ventures. Although much loved it is widely believed that half the population of Middle England didn't have a clue what they were taking about! It's probably a good thing much of it was very naughty and laced with double meanings!
The exact origins of Polari are uncertain and fragmented. However, it is believed to be an amalgam of the following:
Thieves cant: A colourful secret code spoken by thieves, beggars and street hustlers in Elizabethan England.
Parlyaree : A language use by fairground workers, travelers and show people.
Lingua Franca : A slang spoken by sailors.
Cockney Rhyming Slang : The practice of using rhyming couplets to replace words; used predominantly in London.
The common thread between these different types of slang is that they all developed to enable users to identify each other easily, exclude the world at large and avoid detection.
Polari developed because when homosexuality was illegal, queer folk had need of a private means of communication so that they could go about their business without too much bother from a potentially hostile world.
Interestingly, although Polari developed as a kind of secret code it eventually became a way for gays to assert their identity by being deliberately camp and outrageous. Embraced by drag acts and broadcast to the nation in 'Round the Horne'.
The advent of the 1970s, gay liberation and political radicalism encouraged a backlash against the use of Polari.
Many in the gay community viewed it as old fashioned and encouraging negative stereotypes. As a consequence its use went into decline.
We use Polari on our t-shirts because we think it is fantastic, funny and meaningful. Those folk in the 70s needed to get out more often!
We see our t-shirts as a celebration of times gone by and a way to bring these wonderful words to the modern world of discerning shoppers.
