[Dixielandjazz] The Classic YOB

[Steve barbone]

To George Thurmond and others interested in the pursuit of knowledge.

Here is the definition, looked up after Ivor Jones piqued my curiosity.

Cheers,
Steve 



"YOB"  Noun. A lout or hooligan. Derived from the backslang of boy. Pat Ladd
added that YOBS were those holligans that disrupt soccer games, etc. Perhaps
also like those in Stanley Kubrick's movie "A Clockwork Orange"?

The backslang language is like "Pig Latin" here in the states.

"BACKSLANG" was (is) a strange language, much loved by the Victorian
Pickpocket Gangs, it was also spoken with enthusiasm by my Grandmother (A
School Headmistress) and my Father (A Skilled Aircraft Engineer) during the
30's, in Portsmouth.

The purpose of "BACKSLANG", was primary as a means of secret communications,
for street gangs, active in Dickens time.

A 'Looker' ,would notice a 'Gent' with a gold watch in his left waistcoat
pocket. He would inform the "Nudger" and the 'Lifter" of this, by saying to
them 'Lda enta eda opheta olda atcha efta aistcoata", translated to "Old
gent red tophat gold watch left waistcoat".

Less skilful "Backslangers" would not be so descriptive, knowing how to
convert less words. The details of the intended victim would be given via a
nod towards him, with the only spoken comment being, "Olda atcha aistcoata"
, i.e.: Gold watch waistcoat.

Very often "Backslang" words were mixed with normal words, "Lady fine pink
dress earla ecklacea', for example, would be used in place of, "Lady fine
pink dress pearl necklace", this being subject to the discretion of the
speaker.

One "Charlotte Street Mob" in Portsmouth. Hampshire, dropped the method of
dropping the first letter, and adding an 'A' to end each word, by moving the
first letter, to be the last letter, this was known as speaking "Andportl",
Landport, being the area from which the gang came. This method did not catch
on, as it proved hard to use.

Whilst, I understand my Grandmother learnt "Backslang", while a Teacher at
York Road Girls School. Battersea. London, it was very common in Portsmouth.
Hampshire. with mainly the underclass, Pickpockets, Snatch Thieves,
Prostitutes. etc. Pimps would often inform their lady's, as to their
clients, and their clients requirements in "Backslang". Also to pass on
'special' information, such as, "Lita hoata icka alleta", I'll let you work
that one out.

"Backslang", did for a while, become fashionable, and is still spoken,
although in a limited manner. So, how do you speak "Backslang", or
"Ackslanga" as 1. suppose we should call it. Easy, very very easy, drop the
first letter of each word and add an 'A', as the last letter of each word,
"Hea ata ata na hea ata", right now you have seen the main problem with
'Ackslanga", The cat sat on the mat, ends up with 'ata' 3 times, cat sat
mat, all become ata, this is mainly why "Ackslanga", as we shall now call
it, never became a main stream language.

It is very unlikely, in the environment, which produced 'Ackslanga", you
would ever use such a sentence, but if you did, you would say, "Hea cat ata
na hea mat", if you get repeat words, due to lack of letters, you only
'convert' one of these repeat words, in each sentence. But as I said,
"Ackslanga", needs to be used only when appropriate, and not all the time,
"Oua nderstanda".

I think it best to try to team a few little phrases, "I ovea oua" may prove
of use, by the way, please note, I and A, remain as I and A, maybe "Eta
osta", or "Usha ffa" could be handy, try "A inta esta ittera", when next in
a pub, or if your a welcome lady reader, 'A orta nda emona leasea".

To be honest, some words 'convert' better than others, so a skilful
"Ackslanga", selects his or her words with care, so "Ooda ucka" and "Appya
Ackslanginga".