Speech play, gender play, and the verbal artistry of queer argots

Abstract

Th is paper presents a comparative study of argots (or secret varieties) used in communities marked by non–normative gender or sexuality. A comparison of nine argots based in diff erent languages suggests that the development of each of these argots involves large amounts of speech play. A variety of patterns of speech play are analyzed, including cross–language play, play languages, morphological restructuring and innovation, and lexical substitutions within the local language. Th e importance of speech play in these communities is illustrated with the genre of mock translations in which familiar texts (such as Shakespeare or the Bible) are reproduced using argot. Th e results suggest that speech play and verbal artistry are important and understudied elements of queer cultures.