General
pedlar's french
What does pedlar's french mean?
The cant itself — the secret argot of thieves, beggars and vagabonds, so called because it sounded as foreign and unintelligible to honest ears as French.
"He spoke pedlar's French so fluently the constable couldn't make a word of it."
Origin
An early name for the cant, used in the 16th century and noted by Harman (1566), who treated the whole secret vocabulary as a kind of foreign language. 'Pedlars' carried it on the road; later names include 'flash' and 'St Giles Greek'.
Frequently asked questions
What is pedlar's French?
An old name for thieves' cant — the secret argot of rogues, so called because it was as baffling to honest ears as a foreign tongue.
Why 'French'?
Because the cant sounded foreign and unintelligible; 'French' here just means an alien, secret language, not actual French.
What else was the cant called?
Cant, flash, St Giles Greek and the canting tongue — all names for the same thieves' argot.
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Vocabulary Flow — saved to your collection.
