A range of different people use anti-Language; Heads 'Canting Academy' explores the words that criminals would use in 1673. Some of these words are still used today buy many people, for example swag and shoplift were words created by the criminals which have seem to stuck.
Leet is used in a similar way, but also differently. The criminals used actual language and words that could be said but still not understood by anyone that was not supposed to understand. Leet, on the other hand was not words but code which was used generally by computer hackers, some of leet has also become part of everyday life as 'txt' talk appears to be derived from leet, e.g. L8r both leet and 'txt' talk use both letters and numbers but the way they are spoken is the same as the normal word that is understood by everyone.
The term anti-language is a good description of ‘Canting’ because although it is using language, it is trying to stop people from understanding it’s meaning, which is the fundamental point of language.
Good linking of 'canting' and leet - both used to avaid detection! Were there any interesting examples in Head's lists?
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