Verlan

n. – a type of slang
Verlan is somewhat the equivalent of Pig Latin in French. Basically you take the first syllable of a word and add it to the end spelling it phonetically. So “fête” or party becomes “teuf.” “Femme” or woman becomes “meuf.” It’s fairly basic, but if used aggressively, can be difficult for a non-native speaker to follow. The word verlan itself is the inverse if you will of the word “l’envers,” which means upside down. It’s ironic actually because verlan is really more like the inverse, which is “l’inverse.” My husband was trying to explain the difference to me – well I know the difference between upside down and inverse, but he used the example of putting my shirt on upside down. I said I would be more likely to put it on inside out than upside down which also appears to be described by the same word.

The other day I saw a poster for “Pesctacles” and of course the obvious English word came to mind. What I found odd about it was that it looked like something geared for children. My husband explained that children often confuse the word for show which is “spectacle” with “pestacle” – almost a form of juvenile verlan. It reminded me of a friend’s three year old niece who can’t yet differentiate the soft “s” from the hard “ck” in socks so it becomes cocks. She says it’s pretty hilarious when she’s running around the house looking for her cocks!

Socks in French are “chaussettes,” shoes “chaussures” and slippers “chaussons” so that makes it pretty easy to remember. “Talons” is the word for heels where “griffe” is the word for talons. Perhaps that’s where the word griffin comes from. “Bottes” is the word for boots, also fairly easy, “baskets,” the word for sports shoes and can be applied to any kind of sport. “Collants” is the word for stockings, tights or panty-hose. “Slip” is actually the word for men’s underwear or “calçons” if they’re boxers. Women’s underwear are called “strings” (if they are) or “culottes” (if they’re not). And my favorite is “soutien-gorge” for bra. “Gorge” is the word for throat, “soutien” from the verb “soutenir” to support so it’s as if you’re supporting the throat all the way down from the breasts!

“Costume” is not the word for something you would wear at Halloween, but rather the word for suit. “Déguisement” (coming from the word disguise) is the word for costume. “Vest” is actually the word for jacket and if you say “être de la jaquette” it’s the same thing as saying he’s a friend of Dorothy’s. A vest is called a “gilet” and it gets easier again from there. A cardigan is “un cardigan,” a pullover, “un pullover” and a t-shirt, “un t-shirt.”

“Pantalon” is also fairly obvious for pants although here it's singular so really a pant like “un jean” for a jean or jeans. “Jupe” means skirt. “Chemise” means shirt, “manteau” means coat and “écharpe” is scarf. “Chapeau” is hat and “gants” are gloves. All of these things you would store in your “armoire,” closet, in your “tiroirs,” drawers and you would take a look at yourself in your “miroir,” mirror when you’re dressed. And then off you go to your teuf or your pestacle dressed to the nines or “sur ton trente-et-un (as if dressed for the 31st or New Year’s Eve). Have fun!