Definitions

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun A form of slang in which the spelling of words is reversed.
  • noun UK pig Latin.

Etymologies

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

back + slang

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Examples

  • Laura Robson (right) chats to her Australian doubles partner Sally Peers, perhaps teaching her some of the British 'backslang'.

    Sport news, comment and results | guardian.co.uk 2010

  • “Yob” is a rare example of backslang, a 19th-century cockney underworld parlance, and is simply “boy” spelt backwards.

    What Are Words Worth? « POLICE INSPECTOR BLOG Inspector Gadget 2006

  • Derived from words used by criminals, circus artists, beggars and prostitutes, it also employs elements of Italian, Yiddish, French, rhyming slang, and backslang.

    Sonos drewan 2005

  • The salespeople are young, incompetent and – apologies for the generalisation – mostly de la caillera backslang for racaille: literal meaning = scum; commonly used to describe young folk from the dodgier suburbs, who may or may not be dressed like British ‘chavs’.

    A new toy (from hell) 2005

  • The salespeople are young, incompetent and – apologies for the generalisation – mostly de la caillera backslang for racaille: literal meaning = scum; commonly used to describe young folk from the dodgier suburbs, who may or may not be dressed like British ‘chavs’.

    A new toy (from hell) 2005

  • He gives us a few examples of Cockney rhyming slang, some prison words ( 'three months - a carpet, ten years - a cockle') and a good example of why backslang never really caught on: 'I saw ouya the theroa ightna up the hpeilersa.'

    Londonist Londonist 2010

  • He gives us a few examples of Cockney rhyming slang, some prison words ( 'three months - a carpet, ten years - a cockle') and a good example of why backslang never really caught on: 'I saw ouya the theroa ightna up the hpeilersa.'

    Londonist Londonist 2010

  • Heather Watson, the British girls are hitting back with a secret weapon of their own: backslang, a coded language they use to disguise their conversations from other players.

    Sport news, comment and results | guardian.co.uk 2010

  • With the proper word divisions restored and the backslang at the end rearranged, it reads: Aime (s) - tu mieux avoir eu trois femmes ou avoir fait ce roman? [

    Genius Con Brio Knox, Bernard 1999

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