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 Many of the slang words used in fairs come from the travelling
show men's slang, who are sometimes called Gypsies. The showman's
slang which is called Parlari comes from many lands, and is a
mixture of pidgin English and those who speak different languages.
Sailors and traders from widely different language groups, the
several parents of this language being Italian, French, Spanish,
Occitan, Arabic, Greek was used from the Middle Ages until the
nineteenth century.
Parlari, as it survives, partakes of numerous sources including
Lingua Franca, Romani Gypsies or Irish Gammon bits of Yiddish,
Cockney rhyming slang and the less well-known Cockney back slang.
Some popular slang words from the fairground
- Animateur, The clowns straight man.
- Barney, A fight or argument.
- Beast Wagon, A trailer with cages
- Bevvy, Beer
- Buffer, A performing dog.
- Chavi, A child.
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- Chovey, An (old) clothes shop
- Dinari or Dollnaries, Money.
- Flatties, Non-circus people.
- Gaffer, A gentleman, or the boss.
- Grai, A horse.
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Funfair
Attractions
History Guild
Fair Slang Rides
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