Other languages feature words pronounced as their inverse (such as verlan and fika). What are some examples of this in English? The closest example I can think of it Pig Latin.
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Verlan doesn’t really invert the pronunciation of the words, it “merely” inverts the order of the syllables (ver-lan => lan-ver = sloppy pronunciation of l’invers = the inverse).– Konrad RudolphCommented Jan 22, 2011 at 15:10
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I've encountered modified forms of the word "Dyslexic" such as "Lysdexic" and "Slydexic." Another example is the phrase: "Palindromes are rasemordnilap."– XantixCommented Dec 12, 2012 at 0:19
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4 Answers
Yob is originally back-slang for boy, as is yennap for penny. In the phrase dab it up with (to sleep with) the dab was originally deb, backslang for bed. Of these, so far as I know, only yob remains in current usage.
For more backslang words, see here... http://people.sc.fsu.edu/~jburkardt/fun/wordplay/back_slang.html
answered Jan 22, 2011 at 6:40
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1Your "ixnay" example is better known as Pig Latin, which the OP referenced already.... :-)– HellionCommented Jan 22, 2011 at 6:45
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@Hellion, is it? Thank you, I didn't know that sort of thing had a name. I'll remove it from the answer. Commented Jan 22, 2011 at 6:49
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1It's usually formulated the other way around from how you had described it: move the initial consonant to the end and add "ay" to that consonant. See en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pig_Latin (ixnay is explicitly mentioned as a pig-latin word that as entered the common vernacular).– HellionCommented Jan 22, 2011 at 6:55
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@Hellion, @Brian: as I’ve explained in the comment to the question, the formation of “ixnay” is almost precisely the same as that of verlan which also just inverts the syllables, not all the letters so I think it fits here. Commented Jan 22, 2011 at 15:13
Polari has the word eek, from ecaf.
How bona to vada your dolly old eek!
Admittedly, that's Julian & Sandy, but I think it also counts as real Polari.
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1Yep, that's completely authentic Polari for "How good to see your pretty face" with "old" as a common filler much as it is in much British slang. Commented Sep 25, 2017 at 14:54
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1esong or sedon for "nose" and riah for "hair" would be other Polari examples of backslang. Commented Sep 25, 2017 at 14:56
In 1994, Tom Petty's censored radio version of "You Don't Know How It Feels" featured the word "joint" reversed to avoid overt drug references in the song. It sounded like "noij".
In 2003, Missy Elliot's song "Work It" also featured lyrics in reverse. Most listeners mistakenly thought that it was gibberish, or were unable to derive the meaning.
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1And ""Yvan eht Nioj" from the Simpsons en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Kids_on_the_Blecch– mgbCommented May 26, 2011 at 18:20
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How about "naff" from fanny? Still in common use in Britain.
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No! And it's a very fair question. It's one of those bits of pub etymology, I got told it in a pub and it obviously works (ie naff is - sort of - fanny backwards). With a similar lack of authority - or maybe random geezers in London pubs should have more authority on slang? ;-) - I was told that a "dab hand" meant a bad hand and referred to someone who might pick your pocket or otherwise thieve - certainly London slang for fingers or fingerprints is "dabs". But maybe I'm just spreading pure rumours!? Commented Sep 29, 2020 at 7:14