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Shelta
3 dictionary results for: Shelta
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
Shel·ta       [shel-tuh] Pronunciation Key
–noun
a private language, based in part on Irish, used among Travelers in the British Isles.

[Origin: 1875–80; orig. uncert.]
American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
Shel·ta       (shěl'tə)  Pronunciation Key 
n.   A secret jargon used by traditionally itinerant people in Great Britain and Ireland, based on systematic inversion or alteration of the initial consonants of Gaelic words. Also called Cant, Gammon.


[From Shelta Sheldrū, perhaps alteration of Irish Gaelic béarla, language, English, from Old Irish bélrae, language, from bél, mouth.]

Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
shelta 
secret language of Ir. tinkers, 1876, of unknown origin. It mostly consists of Ir. or Gael. words, with inversion or arbitrary substitution of initial consonants.

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