Jeringonza
Encyclopedia
Jeringonza is a Spanish
language game
played by children in Spain
and all over Latin America
. It consists of adding the letter p after each vowel of a word, and repeating the vowel. For example, Carlos turns into Cápar-lopos.
For syllables with multiple vowels, usually only the stressed vowel is used. Australia
becomes Apaus-trapa-liapa. Some people treat all vowels alike: they would say Apa-upus-trapa-lipi-apa. Yet another variant inserts the p+vowel at the end of all syllables instead of just after the vowel: Carlos does not become Cápar-lopos in this version, but Carpa-lospo.
This language game is also known by alternate names in Spanish
-speaking countries: jeringozo in Argentina
and Uruguay
, jerigonzo, jerigonza or jerigoncio in Chile
and Colombia
, and so on. In other countries it is called simply idioma de la pe (Spanish for P
-language) and in Andalucía, "con la pe" (with the P). Most names derive from the Spanish word jerigonza, which can mean either jargon
or gibberish
.
This game, with almost identical rules but using the Brazilian Portuguese
language, is popular with Brazil
ian children under the name of Língua do Pê
(Portuguese for P-language).
In other Spanish-speaking countries, similar games add other syllables instead of p+vowel. There are variants that use f instead of p; this is the case, for example, in Italian
, where the game is called alfabeto farfallino, meaning "butterfly alphabet", because many modified words sound like farfalla (i.e., "butterfly"). Yet other variants add ti, cuti or chi before each syllable (thus giving ticar-tilós and tiáus-titrá-tiliá for the previous examples).
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
language game
Language game
A language game is a system of manipulating spoken words to render them incomprehensible to the untrained ear. Language games are used primarily by groups attempting to conceal their conversations from others...
played by children in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
and all over Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
. It consists of adding the letter p after each vowel of a word, and repeating the vowel. For example, Carlos turns into Cápar-lopos.
For syllables with multiple vowels, usually only the stressed vowel is used. Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
becomes Apaus-trapa-liapa. Some people treat all vowels alike: they would say Apa-upus-trapa-lipi-apa. Yet another variant inserts the p+vowel at the end of all syllables instead of just after the vowel: Carlos does not become Cápar-lopos in this version, but Carpa-lospo.
This language game is also known by alternate names in Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
-speaking countries: jeringozo in Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
and Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
, jerigonzo, jerigonza or jerigoncio in Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
and Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
, and so on. In other countries it is called simply idioma de la pe (Spanish for P
P
P is the sixteenth letter of the basic modern Latin alphabet.-Usage:In English and most other European languages, P is a voiceless bilabial plosive. Both initial and final Ps can be combined with many other discrete consonants in English words...
-language) and in Andalucía, "con la pe" (with the P). Most names derive from the Spanish word jerigonza, which can mean either jargon
Jargon
Jargon is terminology which is especially defined in relationship to a specific activity, profession, group, or event. The philosophe Condillac observed in 1782 that "Every science requires a special language because every science has its own ideas." As a rationalist member of the Enlightenment he...
or gibberish
Gibberish
Gibberish is a generic term in English for talking that sounds like speech, but carries no actual meaning. This meaning has also been extended to meaningless text or gobbledygook. The common theme in gibberish statements is a lack of literal sense, which can be described as a presence of nonsense...
.
This game, with almost identical rules but using the Brazilian Portuguese
Brazilian Portuguese
Brazilian Portuguese is a group of Portuguese dialects written and spoken by most of the 190 million inhabitants of Brazil and by a few million Brazilian emigrants, mainly in the United States, United Kingdom, Portugal, Canada, Japan and Paraguay....
language, is popular with Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian children under the name of Língua do Pê
Língua do Pê
Língua do Pê is a language game spoken in Brazil and Portugal with Portuguese. It is also known in other languages, such as Dutch.-"Double talk" dialect:...
(Portuguese for P-language).
In other Spanish-speaking countries, similar games add other syllables instead of p+vowel. There are variants that use f instead of p; this is the case, for example, in Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
, where the game is called alfabeto farfallino, meaning "butterfly alphabet", because many modified words sound like farfalla (i.e., "butterfly"). Yet other variants add ti, cuti or chi before each syllable (thus giving ticar-tilós and tiáus-titrá-tiliá for the previous examples).
See also
- RosarigasinoRosarigasinoRosarigasino is a language game traditionally associated with the city of Rosario, , even though very few people, if any, currently employ it....
, a similar game from the city of RosarioRosarioRosario is the largest city in the province of Santa Fe, Argentina. It is located northwest of Buenos Aires, on the western shore of the Paraná River and has 1,159,004 residents as of the ....
, Argentina. - Pig LatinPig LatinPig Latin is a language game of alterations played in English. To form the Pig Latin form of an English word the first consonant is moved to the end of the word and an ay is affixed . The object is to conceal the meaning of the words from others not familiar with the rules...
- Language gameLanguage gameA language game is a system of manipulating spoken words to render them incomprehensible to the untrained ear. Language games are used primarily by groups attempting to conceal their conversations from others...
- Farfallino AlphabetFarfallino AlphabetThe farfallino alphabet is a language game used primarily in Italy, which can be regarded as an elementary form of substitution cipher. It is usually used by children for amusement or to converse in privacy from adults...
- Variety (linguistics)Variety (linguistics)In sociolinguistics a variety, also called a lect, is a specific form of a language or language cluster. This may include languages, dialects, accents, registers, styles or other sociolinguistic variation, as well as the standard variety itself...
External links
- Jeringozator, a translator from Spanish to Jeringonza.