“Polari was a secret form of language used mainly by gay men, lesbians and people who worked in the theatre. It was most often used in London and other UK cities with a gay sub-culture, and was popular between the 1930s and 1960s. It was introduced to a wider audience through a 1960s comedy radio programme, called Round The Horne. Apart from a few familiar words, it is hardly known today.” 

Professor Paul Baker (Lancaster University)
 

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