Description
Village Book Club – “Fabulosa! The Story of Polari, Britain’s Secret Gay Language” // Paul Baker (2019)
Host: Marco Astolfi
“How bona to vada your dolly old eke!” Polari is a language that was used chiefly by gay men in the first half of the twentieth century. At a time when being gay could result in criminal prosecution – or worse – it offered its speakers a degree of public camouflage and a means of identification. Its roots are colourful and varied – from thieves’ Cant to Lingua Franca to circus, theatre and merchant navy slang. Not only was it a way for gay people to hide in plain sight, but also to laugh at their own flaws, create hope from tragedy, and see humour in the face of cruelty.
Academic Paul Baker traces Polari’s historical origins, describes its linguistic nuts and bolts, explores the ways and the environments in which it was spoken, explains the reasons for its decline and tells of its unlikely re-emergence in the twenty-first century. The book includes snippets of interviews with a cast of Polari speakers, drag queens, sailors, and macho clones.
Enjoy reading!
About the village book club
Book lovers and bookworms have been meeting on a bimonthly basis to discuss works of fiction and non-fiction (novels, biographies, and essays) focused on or related to GBTQ themes and personalities.
Anticipating insightful discussions, we choose the next book two months in advance. The discussion in the evening will be in English.
