LANGUAGE of the CANTING CREWS
The language very much set these crews apart. It was partially to recognize each other, to pass messages and to confuse the locals. While it at first may seem just a mixture of common usage words and a few bits og 'gibberish' thrown in, a closer look shows us not only words still in use today, but many were based on their original Latin roots.
Want to 'Cant' but don't think you CAN 'cant'?Well you'll never know if you can or can't, unless you try! So don't say you can't 'cant', here's a beginning primer just so you can 'cant'!
Rich in symbolism and romance, there have been stories, plays, songs and poems written in the 'Cant' tongue for 400 years.
Beggars CurseLanthorne and Candlelight (1608)
The ruffin cly the nab of the Harmonbeck!If we maund Pannum, Lap of Rough-peck,Or Poplars of Yarum: he cuts, ‘Bing to the Roughmans!”Or he swears by lightmans,to have our stamps in the Harmons!
If we heave a booth, or cly the jerk,If we niggle, or mill a bousing ken,Or nip a boung that has but a win,Or dupe the giger of a Gentry coves ken,To the queer cuffing we bing; and then to the queer ken,To scour the Cramp-ring, and then to the Trin’de on the chates, in the lightmans.
The bube and the ruffin cly the harmanbecks nab and harmons.
The ruffin cly the nab of the Harmonbeck!If we maund Pannum, Lap of Rough-peck,Or Poplars of Yarum: he cuts, ‘Bing to the Roughmans!”Or he swears by lightmans,to have our stamps in the Harmons!
If we heave a booth, or cly the jerk,If we niggle, or mill a bousing ken,Or nip a boung that has but a win,Or dupe the giger of a Gentry coves ken,To the queer cuffing we bing; and then to the queer ken,To scour the Cramp-ring, and then to the Trin’de on the chates, in the lightmans.
The bube and the ruffin cly the harmanbecks nab and harmons.
The words of the Canting Crew found their way not just in the way they talked amongst themselves, but even when describing jobs to be had-criminal or otherwise-they made the language suit their needs. A job listing for your perusal follows.
And even today, perhaps you yurself have used words or phrases that find their way from the 'canting' language to modern? Try these, all which first appear in collection of 'cant' and 'flash' of the criminal element!
BUMPKINSAVE YOUR BACONKIDKIDNAPRAGAMUFFINSHAMTIPWILEYSHOPLIFTDUDSDRAWERSLICK THRASHSTOW YOU (STOW IT)FILCHSHOPLIFTGYPSYTRANSMOGRIFYDOUBLECROSSTITBIT (TIDBIT)SNIGGER (SNICKER)