Fantabulosa

by Paul Baker

Book Overview

Polari has been the secret language of gay men and women through the twentieth century. But more than a language, Polari is an attitude. From the prisons and music halls of Edwardian England to Kenneth Williams, American Gls in London and the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, Polari has been used to laugh, bitch, gossip and cruise. Like all slang, Polari users coined an ever-changing vocabulary. Derived from words used by criminals, circus artists,...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0826473431
• ISBN13: 9780826473431
• Release Date: May 2004
• Publisher: Continuum
• Length: 254 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.4" x 7.5"

Customer Reviews

Polari and Gay Slang

The book starts with a sizable entry on Polari and words within it, then the rest is just your basic dictionary of slang words in the LGBT and attached communities (bear, BDSM, L/L, etc). If you're already acclimated to gay culture, it might suit you fine to look at some websites on Polari (if that's what you're looking for) and non-local gay slang. If you're not in the community and writing an LGBT character or something similar, I think this would be a good primer on what kind of culture and language you're looking at.