Germanía
Germanía
16th century criminal slang in Spain
Germanía (Spanish: [xeɾ.maˈni.a]) is the Spanish term for the argot used by criminals or in jails in Spain during 16th and 17th centuries.[1][2] Its purpose is to keep outsiders out of the conversation.[3] The ultimate origin of the word is the Latin word germanus, through Catalan germà (brother) and germania ("brotherhood, guild").[4]
Some documentation for it occurs in picaresque works as early as the Spanish Golden Century, such as in Quevedo's El Buscón.[5] Some writers used it in poetry for comical effect.[6]
After the arrival of the Romani people and their frequent imprisonment, germanía incorporated much vocabulary from Romany and its descendant, the caló jargon.[7] As time passed, several words entered popular use and even standard Spanish, losing their value for secrecy.[2] Germanía survives today in the cheli jargon.