

How secret languages develop in closed societies - danielpal
http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/books/2013/12/daniel_heller_roazen_s_dark_tongues_reviewed.single.html

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TrainedMonkey
Let us converse is secret tongue of assembly, lest those higher language
ruffians understand us. While article is somewhat interesting, I feel like it
fails to emphasize important idea. Secret language is just one part of clan
identity. Humans evolved on a planet where being alone is deadly, safety in
numbers. We instinctively try to belong to a group. However hunting-gatherer
groups needed to stay mobile, so until advent of agriculture no large
settlements occurred. When looked at from this angle, secret language is just
a sign of belonging to a particular `clan` in the jungle of larger society.

So to summarize one of the reasons people develop secret tongues is to
establish identity of the clan. And one of the reasons people establish clans
is because we evolutionary predisposed to. This is observed quite distinctly
in aggressive/highly competitive environments such as prisons/schools/gangs.

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cup
When I was in Syria a few years ago we would have to talk in elaborate
metaphors when discussing anything political (especially if it was in a
negative tone). I suspect other HNers who have lived in closed states
understand all too well how pervasive secret languages are in certain
environments.

Surpsingly enough, ive noticed myself begining to rehash certain behaviours
when talking to people in America or Europe because of an innate sense that
the conversation is not private anything I say could be misconstrued under the
appropriate conditions.

Its a real shame too because these environments which force us to calculate
what we say often stifle innovation and creativity to the detriment of
society.

