Germanía
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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Germanía or jerigonza is the Spanish term for the argot used by criminals or in jails. Its purpose is to keep outsiders out of the conversation. The ultimate origin of the word is the Latin word germanus, through Catalan germà (brother).
Some documentation for it occurs in picaresque works as early as the Spanish Golden Century, such as in Quevedo's El Buscón. Some writers used it in poetry for comical effect.
After the arrival of the Roma people and their frequent imprisonment, germanía incorporated much vocabulary from Romany and its descendant, the caló jargon. As time passed, several words entered popular use and even standard Spanish, losing their value for secrecy. Germanía survives today in the cheli jargon.
Other jargons based on Spanish
