Want to talk to your friends in a secret language? You could try to invent one of your own. But before you tackle that, try one of these. Ave-hay Un-fay!
PIG LATIN
Pig Latin, sometimes called Dog Latin, is the most popular secret language for kids. How popular? The Bible has been translated into Pig Latin. Online, Google even has a Pig Latin engine called Ooglegay Earchsay Enginesay (Google Search Engine). No one knows exactly how old it is (it’s at least 100 years old) or exactly why it’s called Pig Latin. What we do know is that it’s easy and fun!
How Do I Speak it? Take off the first consonant sound of a word, add “ay” to it, and stick it on the end of whatever’s left of the word. Words that start with a vowel just get an “ay” stuck on the end.
Samples:
you |
ou-yay |
me |
e-may |
radio |
adio-ray |
party |
arty-pay |
cool |
ool-cay |
movies |
oovies-may |
skateboard…ateboard-skay
Something to chew on: Sitophobia is the fear of food.
English: “Quick! Hide! Here comes my little brother!”
Pig Latin: “Ick-quay! Ide-hay! Ere-hay omes-cay y-may ittle-lay other-bray!”
OPPISH
This is an extra-secret language. It’s not easy to master, but Oppish is definitely worth the effort. Oppish has been around probably as long as Pig Latin, and there are a few variations. We’re only going to show you one here. Once you get up to speed, no one will be able to decipher your language. Unless they speak Oppish, too.
How do I speak it? Insert “op” after the first consonant of any syllable. For words that start with vowels, put the first “op” right in front of the vowel. (“Elephant” becomes “op-elopephopant.”) In this version, it’s not necessary to put an “op” at the end of the word.
Samples:
you |
yop-ou |
me |
mop-e |
radio |
rop-a-dop-io |
party |
pop-ar-top-y |
cool |
cop-ool |
hot dog |
hop-ot dop-og |
skateboard…skop-a-top-e-bop-oard
English: “Quick! Hide! Here comes my little brother.”
Oppish: “Quop-ick! Hop-ide! Hop-ere cop-omes mop-eye lop-it-top-le brop-o-thop-er!”
UBBI DUBBI
The secret language Ubbi Dubbi was created for the PBS television show Zoom. The code is simple to learn and, if you speak it really fast, impossible for a non-ubbi dubbi-ist to understand.
Ask them! Three insults your great-grandparents may have used as kids 1) addlebrain! 2) dunderhead! 3) chucklehead!
How do I speak it? All you have to do is add “ub” before every vowel sound.
Samples:
you |
yub-ou |
me |
mub-e |
radio |
rub-a-dub-i-ub-o |
party |
pub-ar-tub-y |
cool |
cub-ool |
burger |
buburg-gub-er |
skateboard…skub-ate-bub-oard
English: “Quick! Hide! Here comes my little brother.”
Ubbi Dubbi: “Quub-ick! Hub-ide! Hub-ere cub-omes mub-y lub-it-tuble brub-o-thub-er.”
Want more? Check out our RESOURCE GUIDE on page 284, where you’ll find websites that will help you translate words into sop-e-crop-et lop-an-gop-uages.
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MORE SECRET LANGUAGES
There are actually dozens of secret languages already invented. Here are a few:
Bush Talk
Double Dutch
Cazarny
Skimono Jive
Jeriqoza
Gree
Fufa
Eggy-Peggy