The Cant reference article from the English Wikipedia on 24-Apr-2004 (provided by Fixed Reference: snapshots of Wikipedia from wikipedia.org)

Cant

1. Cant is a term generally used to describe secret languages (cryptolects) used by gypsies, thieves, and others who have a need to communicate freely without necessarily conveying their meaning to a wider audience. An example of a cant language which has been introduced widely into the mainstream is the homosexual Polari language which was used extensively in the BBC radio series Round the Horne during the 1960s.

2. The Cant is a term used sometimes specifically to refer to Shelta, (alternatively known as Sheldhu), the cryptolectic Goidelic Celtic language of Irish Travellers.

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