LANGUAGE
ADJECTIVES
► ADDER-TONGUED spiteful; using malicious or offensive language → 1823
► ALL NICELY WRAPPED UP in seemly language → L19 colloq.
► AMPHIBOLOUS of language: ambiguous in sense → 1647
► BABYLONISH confused in language→ 1663
► BAGGY of language: inflated, verbose → 1866
► BAWDY of language: vile, abominable, barbarous → 1519 obs.
► BILINGUOUS bilingual, speaking two languages → 1730 obs.
► BLACKGUARD characterized by abusive or obscene language → 1806 Amer. dial.
► BLASPHEMATORY blasphemous; cursing and swearing; using vile reproachful language → 1611 obs.
► BLUE of language: coarse or offensive → 1832
► BRAID having a strong dialect language or accent → 1911 Sc. (Bk.)
► COLLINGUAL pert. to or using the same language; agreeing together in language → 1847
► DIGLOSSAL using the same language in two ways, as colloquially and formally → 1913 Amer. dial. (Bk.)
► FAIR of language, diction: elegant → c1380 obs.
► GALLANT of language; full of showy expressions, ornate, specious → 1484 obs.
► GLOTTICAL concerned with the study of languages → 1660 obs.
► GREASY filthy, obscene, low; especially said of language → 1588
► GROFF of language: coarse, vulgar; gross, obscene → 1825 Sc.
► ILL-GABBED foul-mouthed; having a habit of using insolent, abusive language → 1895 Sc.
► ILL-TONGUED having a malicious tongue; speaking evil; slanderous; using bad language; foul-mouthed → a1300
► LARGE of language: used in a wide sense, loose, inaccurate → c1400 obs.
► LINGUISHED skilled in languages → 1607 obs.
► LUSTY of language, eloquence, etc.: pleasing, agreeable → 1399 obs.
► MONOGLOT 1. speaking, writing, or understanding one language only → 1830
2. written in only one language→ 1890
► MONOLINGUAL speaking, writing, or understanding one language only → 1855
► MONOLINGUISTIC speaking, writing, or understanding one language only → 1887
► NEAT of a language: pure → 1686 obs.
► OCTOGLOT written in eight languages → 1888
► OMNILINGUAL speaking or understanding all languages → 1893
► PANTOGLOSSICAL belonging to all tongues or languages → 1716 obs.
► PANTOGLOT knowing or speaking all languages → 1895
► PENTAGLOTTICAL skilled or written in five languages → 1656 obs.
► POLYGLOSSIC involving two or more voices or languages → 1983
► POLYGLOT speaking, writing, or understanding a number of languages; written or uttered in a number of languages → 1650
► POLYGLOTTAL speaking, writing, or understanding a number of languages → 1837
► POLYGLOTTED speaking several languages, multilingual → 1868
► POLYGLOTTISH multilingual → 1860
► POLYGLOTTOUS speaking or writing in many or several languages; using many languages → 1861
► POMPION of language: overblown, magniloquent → a1670 obs.
► PURPURATE of language: rich, elaborate, ornate → c1475
► QUADRILINGUAL using or written in four languages → 1876
► QUEER PROPER of language: formal or standard, as opposed to colloquial or dialectal → 1963 Amer. dial.
► ROTTEN of language: morally offensive; obscene → 1589
► SALTY of language: obscene → 1920s US teen sl.
► SMALL simple, plain: said of language → a1325 obs.
► SMUG of language: smooth, neat → 1607 obs.
► TURGENT swollen with pride or conceit; bumptious; also, using inflated language → 1621
► TURGID of language: inflated, grandiloquent, pompous, bombastic → 1725
► UGLY-MOUTHED foul-mouthed, given to bad language → 1889 Eng. dial.
► VERNACULARY of a language or dialect: that is naturally spoken by the people of a particular country or district; native, indigenous → 1652 obs.
► VERNACULE of a language or dialect: that is naturally spoken by the people of a particular country or district; native, indigenous → 1669 obs.
► VERNACULOUS that writes, uses, or speaks the native or indigenous language of a country or district → 1658 obs.
ADVERBS
► VERNACLY vernacularly, in the native or mother tongue → 1673 obs.
INTERJECTIONS
► OH, MISS WESTON! expressing disapproval of strong language → c1910 Royal Navy sl.
NOUNS
► ABSONISM something discordant in the use of language → 1593 obs.
► ACYROLOGY incorrect use of language or words; improper speech → 1656 obs.
► ALSATIA PHRASE terms from slang or criminal jargon → E17 sl.
► ALTUMAL sailor’s slang, nautical jargon → E18 sl.
► AMPERLASH saucy, abusive language → 1879 Eng. dial.
► ANGUAGELA language → L19 sl.
► ANIMAL a translation of a foreign language text → 1900 Amer. students’ sl.
► APOTHECARIES’ LATIN the mangled Latin used by apothecaries → M16 sl.
► ARMY LATIN foul or profane language → 1864 US jocular usage
► AUSSIE Australian English → 1945 Aust. sl.
► AUSTRALIAN Australian English → 1902 Aust.
► BACK-JAW impudence; abusive language → 1932 Sc.
► BAFFLEGAB incomprehensible or pretentious verbiage or jargon → 1952 colloq., chiefly N. Amer.
► BALDERDASH filthy or obscene talk or writing; impudent language; abuse → 1715 Eng. dial.
► BARBARY uncultivated speech as opposed to a classical language or classic diction → 1509 obs.
► BARNYARD EXPRESSION coarse or vulgar language; slang → 1968 Amer. dial.
► BARRIKIN high-flown language; unintelligible language; gibberish, jargon → 1851 Eng. sl.
► BAT, THE the colloquial speech or language of a foreign country → 1892
► BAWDY lewd, obscene language, lewdness, obscenity → 1698
► BESTIALITY filthy language, obscenity → 1879
► BLACKGUARD vulgar, obscene language → 1923 Amer. dial.
► BLINGLISH an imitation by White or Asian speakers of Black speech patterns, esp. of hip hop slang and a Caribbean accent → 2004 UK sl.
► BRAVERIE fine or ornate language → 1911 Sc. (Bk.)
► BULLOCKY violent language → 1981 Aust. colloq. (Bk.)
► CANT 1. the peculiar phraseology of a religious sect or class → 1681 obs.
2. a stock phrase that is much affected at the time, or is repeated as a matter of habit or form → 1681 arch.
3. the special phraseology of a particular class of persons, or belonging to a particular subject; professional or technical jargon; always depreciative or contemptuous → 1684
4. the secret speech or jargon of the vagrant classes; gypsies, thieves, beggars, etc; hence, contemptuously, the peculiar phraseology of a particular class or subject → 1706
► CHAT terminology, a special language, jargon → 1950s sl.
► CRYPTOLECT a secret or arcane language used by a particular group or section of a community → 1982
► DAGO a southern European language, esp. Italian or Spanish; broadly, a foreign language → 1823 US sl., derogatory
► DAMSON-PIE abuse; a slanging match; obscene language → c1865 colloq.
► DAMSON TART a humorous term for profane language → 1887 Eng. dial.
► DOUBLE DUTCH a language that one does not understand; gibberish → 1876
► DYSPHEMISM the use of an unpleasant or derogatory word or expression for a pleasant or inoffensive one; opposed to ‘euphemism’ → 1884
► FAGLISH gay slang → 1980s US homosexual sl.
► FIVE-DOLLAR EXPRESSIONS language that the speaker considers to be unnecessarily difficult or intellectual → 20C US sl.
► FIVE-DOLLAR WORDS language that the speaker considers to be unnecessarily difficult or intellectual → 20C US sl.
► FLASH-LINGO patter interlarded with cant words and phrases → 1893 sl. (Bk.)
► FLUBDUB bombastic or inept language; nonsense, balderdash → 1888 Amer. dial.
► FRENCH dirty words or swear words in English → 20C US colloq.
► FUSTIAN jargon, made-up language, gibberish → a1593 obs.
► GAB a language → a1845 jocular usage
► GALEE bad language → Bk1892 Anglo-Indian sl.
► GALLEY-SLANG the neological barbarisms foisted into sea-language → 1867
► GAMMON the language of cant → 1797 UK sl. obs.
► GAMMON AND PATTER the language of cant → 1789 UK sl. obs.
► GAMMY cant or criminal language → 1812 UK criminals’ sl.
► GANSEL a severe rebuke; a scolding; insolent language → 1710 Sc.
► GARRY-HO loose, improper language → 1900 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► GLOSSOLALIA the faculty or practice of speaking with ‘tongues’ → 1879
► GLOSSOLOGY the study of a language or languages; linguistic learning → 1716 obs.
► GOO-GOO an unintelligible foreign language → 1970s US sl.
► GOOK any foreign language → 1910s sl., orig. US military, derogatory
► GUM-CHEWING WORDS slang → 1942 Amer. sl. (Bk.)
► HAGGERSNASH tart language → 19C Sc.
► HAM SANDWICH language → 1988 Sc. rhyming sl.
► IDIOTISM the speech, language, or dialect peculiar to a country, age, etc. → 1588 obs.
► ILL-GAB insolent, impudent language; the power to use such language → 1905 Sc. (Bk.)
► ILL-JAW bad language; an abusive tongue → 1824 Sc.
► ILL-MOUTH insolent, abusive language → 1905 Sc. (Bk.)
► ILL TONGUE bad language, an abusive tongue → 1785 Sc.
► ILL-WEEN bad language; an abusive tongue → 1905 Sc. (Bk.)
► JABBERWOCK nonsense language or verse → 19C
► JAZZ JARGON slang → 1942 Amer. sl. (Bk.)
► JIBS language; speech → 1896 cant (Bk.)
► KABAC GENALS ► KABGNALS backslang → L19 sl.
► KENNICK a mixture of ‘flash-patter’ (cant) and ‘padding-ken’ (low lodging-house) talk → 1860s sl.
► KIM-KAM an altercation; irritating language → 19C Eng. dial.
► KING’S ENGLISH standard American English → 1920s African-American sl.
► LAND-SPEECH a language, tongue → c1250 obs.
► LANGUE a tongue or language → c1330 obs.
► LEDEN the language of a nation, people, or race; a ‘tongue’ → c1000 obs.
► LEED language, tongue → 1513 obs.
► LEFT-HAND TONGUE a language written from right to left, as Hebrew or Arabic → a1632 obs.
► LINGUIPOTENCE mastery of language or languages; ability to use language → a1834
► MONOGLOTTISM knowledge of or ability to speak only one language → 1892
► MOUTH language → 1995 US sl. (Bk.)
► MUMBO obscure or meaningless language or ritual; jargon intended to impress or mystify; nonsense → 1931
► MUMBO JUMBO obscure or meaningless language or ritual; jargon intended to impress or mystify; nonsense → 1738 colloq.
► NASH-GAB insolent language; impertinence → 1902 sl. (Bk.)
► NATIVE native speech → 1905 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► NATURAL native language → 1665 obs.
► OCKER Australian English → 1996 Aust. sl.
► OFFICIALESE the language characteristic of officials or of official documents → 1884
► OLIGOGLOTTISM slight knowledge of languages → 1909 (Bk.)
► OLLAPOD a hotchpotch; a medley; an incongruous mixture; a mixture of languages → 1804
► OLLAPODISM a sentence made up of various languages → 1837
► OLLA PODRIDA a hotchpotch, a medley; a mixture of languages → a1634
► ORDURE foul language ‘thrown’ at a person → c1374
► ORIENTALS oriental languages → 1680 obs.
► PARL language, parlance, vocabulary → 1733 Sc. obs.
► PARLEYVOO the French language → M18 sl.
► PEDDLER’S FRENCH ► PEDLAR’S FRENCH underworld slang → 1530
► POLYGLOT a book written in several languages → 1666
► POLYGLOTTERY the knowledge or use of several languages → 1834
► POLYGLOTTISM the knowledge or use of many languages; a being multilingual → 1852
► POLYGLOTTOLOGY a use of many languages → 1658 obs.
► POOH-POOH THEORY the theory that language is a development of natural interjections → 1861
► QUEER PATTER a foreign language → E19 UK criminals’ sl.
► RIBBLE-RABBLE confused meaningless language; rigmarole, gibble-gabble → 1601 arch. or Sc. & Eng. dial.
► ROUGH TONGUE rough, harsh, rude, or abrasive language or speech → 1577
► SCOOSE discourse, altercation, dispute, bad language → 1904 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► SILLABUB inconsequential puff; florid, inane language
► SINGLISH a Singaporean adaptation of the English language; a variety of English used in Sri Lanka → 2001 Singapore
► SLANGUAGE slang → 1942 Amer. sl. (Bk.)
► SMUT indecent or obscene language → 1698
► SOUTHRON the English tongue or language → 1513 Sc. obs.
► SPIG the Spanish language → 1913 US sl.
► SPIGGOTY the Spanish language → 1910s US sl.
► ST. GILES’S GREEK slang, cant → L18 sl.
► STREAMLINE SPEECH slang → 1942 Amer. sl. (Bk.)
► STREPEROSITY high-sounding language → 1772 obs.
► TALE speech, language → c1250 obs.
► TALKEE-TALKEE imperfect or broken English used by some native races → 1808
► TATHERUM-A-DYAL complicated or unintelligible language → 1905 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► THIEVES’ LATIN the secret language or ‘cant’ of thieves → 1821
► THREE TONGUES, THE Hebrew, Greek, and Latin → 1560 obs.
► TIGHT JEFF well-rehearsed patter → 1960s African-American sl.
► TONGUES, THE foreign languages; often the classical or learned languages → .1535
► TRENCH TALK military slang → World War I Amer. sl.
► TUMMUS-AN-MEARY broad Lancashire dialect → 1905 Eng. dial. (Bk.)
► TURGENCY an inflated or bombastic style of language → 1654
► TURGIDITY grandiloquence, pomposity, bombast; inflation of language → 1756
► TWO-DOLLAR WORDS. language that the speaker considers to be unnecessarily difficult or intellectual → 20C US sl.
► UNPARLIAMENTARY LANGUAGE language unfit for polite discussion; violent or obscene language → 1958 sl. (Bk.)
► WOG any language that isn’t English → 1988 Aust. sl.
► WOODS FRENCH a limited ability in French → 1980 Can.
► YABBER speech, language, talk, chatter; applied to the speech of the Australian aborigines → 1874 Aust.
► YANKEE the dialect of New England; loosely, American English generally → 1824
► YANKEESE American English → 1883
► YARDNEY a manner of speech combining West Indian and London accents and vocabularies; ‘Yardie and Cockney’ → 1999 UK sl.
NOUNS – PERSON
► BIDIALECTALIST one who uses or who is able to use two dialects of a language → 1976
► BILINGUAL one who can speak two languages → 1949
► BILINGUALIST one who speaks two languages → 1927
► BILINGUIS one that speaks two languages → 1795 (Bk.)
► BILINGUIST one who speaks two languages → 1884
► GENERAL LINGUIST orig. a person having knowledge of a variety of languages; later, a student of or expert in general linguistics → 1784
► GESTURE THEORIST a proponent of gesture theory (the origin of language) → 1930
► GLOSSOLALIST one who speaks with ‘tongues’ → 1879
► GLOSSOLOGIST one versed in the science of language → 1817
► GLOTTOLOGIST one versed in the science of language → 1874
► HISTORICAL LINGUIST a student or practitioner of historical linguistics (the history and development of languages) → 1876
► HISTORICIST a historical linguist → 1937
► LANGUAGER one versed in languages → c1570 obs.
► MONOGLOT a person who speaks or knows only one language → 1894
► MONOLINGUAL a person who speaks only one language → 1956
► MONOLINGUIST a person who speaks only one language → 1858
► MOONSHEE a learned man, professor, or teacher, esp. a Mohammedan teacher of languages; an interpreter; also a secretary → 1865 Anglo-Indian (Bk.)
► NEEDLE-SPITTER one who uses sharp language → 1805
► PANTOGLOT a person who speaks many or all languages → 1895 obs.
► POLYGLOT a person who speaks, writes, or understands a number of languages → 1650
► POLYGLOTTER a person that speaks several languages → 1912 colloq.
► POLYGLOTTIST a person who speaks, writes, or understands a number of languages → 1663
► SLEEPING DICTIONARY a foreign woman with whom a man has a sexual relationship and from whom he learns the rudiments of her language → 1928 sl.
► VARIATIONIST one who studies variations in usage among different speakers of the same language → 1975
VERBS
► CANT 1. to speak the jargon of gypsies, beggars, and other vagrants → 1592
2. to use the special phraseology or jargon of a particular class or subject → 1625 obs.
3. to say or exclaim in the pet phraseology of the day; to use the phrases currently affected at the time → 1648 obs.
► GAMMON to speak criminal slang or cant → 1789 UK sl. obs.
► HAPPER-GALLICKS to speak the Gaelic tongue → 1787 Sc.
► JABBER to talk a foreign language → M16 sl.
► MAKE THE AIR TURN BLUE ► TURN THE AIR BLUE to use obscene or blasphemous language → 1890 UK sl.
► PARLEY to speak a foreign or strange language → 1570
► PARLEYVOO ► PARLEY-VOUS to speak a foreign language, esp. to speak French → M18 sl.
► PATTER FLASH to talk in thieves’ lingo → 1827 sl.
► POLYGLOTTIZE to make multilingual → 1871 obs.
► RAMP to use violent language ..1827 Sc. & Eng. dial.
► RAUNCH OUT to offend by making sexual remarks or using offensive language → 1970s US students’ sl.
► SCOOSE to discourse; to dispute, to use bad language → 1869 Eng. dial.
► SLING THE BAT to speak the ‘lingo’ of a foreign country → 1892 orig. military usage
► SMOOTH to use smooth, flattering, or complimentary language → 1591 obs.
► TALK PROPER to talk Standard English → 20C sl.
► TALK SAILOR LIKE AN OLD SALT to use nautical language → 1881
► TALK TURKEY to use high-flown language → 1888
► TEAR THE TARTAN to speak Gaelic → 1934 Sc.
► VERNACULATE to use native language → 1895 US obs.
► VERNACULIZE to translate into the native speech of a people; to make vernacular → a1802 obs.
Lexicophilia 