Shelta

[ shel-tuh ]

noun

1. a private language, based in part on Irish, used among Travelers in the British Isles.

Shelta

/ ˈʃɛltə /

noun

1. a secret language used by some itinerant tinkers in Ireland and parts of Britain, based on systematically altered Gaelic

Word History and Origins

Origin of Shelta¹

First recorded in 1875–80; origin uncertain

Word History and Origins

Origin of Shelta¹

C19: from earlier sheldrū, perhaps an arbitrary alteration of Old Irish bēlre speech

Example Sentences

Slang, slang, n. a conventional tongue with many dialects, which are, as a rule, unintelligible to outsiders, such as Gypsy, Canting or Flash, Back-slang, and Shelta or Tinkers' Talk: any kind of colloquial and familiar language serving as a kind of class or professional shibboleth.—adj. pertaining to slang.—v.i. to use slang, and esp. abusive language.—v.t. to scold.—adv.

From Project Gutenberg

But as I idly scanned the paragraph, a flash of thought passed through me with the violence of an electric shock: What if the obscure and horrible race of the hills still survived, still remained haunting wild places, and barren hills, and now and then repeating the evil of Gothic legend, unchanged and unchangeable as the Turanian Shelta, or the Basques of Spain.

From Project Gutenberg

In addition to this I have given in a chapter certain conversations with men of note, such as Thomas Carlyle, Lord Lytton, Mr. Roebuck, and others, on gypsies; an account of the first and family names and personal characteristics of English and American Romanys, prepared for me by a very famous old gypsy; and finally a chapter on the “Shelta Thari,” or Tinkers’ Language, a very curious jargon or language, never mentioned before by any writer except Shakespeare. 

From Project Gutenberg

I have always supposed that the tinkers’ language spoken of by Shakespeare was Romany; but I now incline to think it may have been Shelta.

From Project Gutenberg

The right name for it is Shelter or Shelta.”

From Project Gutenberg