Cunning Linguists

[steepholm]

My only previous exposure to Polari was listening to Kenneth Williams on Round the Horne. I followed most of this, but suspect I mistook in a number of key areas. Anyway, if like me you've wondered how Polari worked, check it out:

Comments

[sheldrake.livejournal.com]

This has led to an enjoyable Sunday afternoon spent googling Polari dictionaries.

[ethelmay.livejournal.com]

Goodness. I could just about understand some of the English bits, and got maybe one in fifty of the Polari ("plates" = "plates of meat" = "feet," right? I knew that one from Noel Streatfeild, but Alice of course did not go on to relate feet to, well, never mind). The script is at http://brianandkarl.tumblr.com/post/122421969778/heres-the-screenplay-for-putting-on-the-dish-for

I misheard "Battersea'd" as "batsied," and thought Pauline had been committed.

[sovay]

Anyway, if like me you've wondered how Polari worked, check it out

That's fantastic; thank you. I got the line about the piano strictly because of Julian and Sandy.

Did you see Adam Lowe's "Vada That"?