VERLAN THROUGH FRENCH HISTORY

Abstract

For around fifteen years, a linguistic phenomenon has continued to polarize attention given its vitality and dynamism: it is the propagation of a language which has been baptized contemporary French of the cities (FCC) or, quite short, the language of the cities which we call "verlan". This language, which appeared in the 1990s, seems to be an extension of youth French which had experienced a strong diffusion in the 1980s and which tended to develop "its (dominant) peripheral, ethnocultural component". At present, the FCC is gradually entering the common language, transmitted by the media and rap. We therefore bear witness to a flourishing of the culture of the cities which is fundamentally multi-ethnic and hybrid. This culture manifests itself through art, whether cinema, television or literary production. The objective of these notes will therefore be to address two aspects of current French, slang and verlan. We will explain how, when and why they are used.