Caravaggio, The Cardsharps, c. 1594.The word "slang" first appeared in print in 1756. Its origins are murky, but most linguists think it was part of what is known as "Thieves' Cant." This language of the criminal underworld was as complex and colorful as iambic pentameter. It was the secret lingo that allowed the lower class to spin a wicked web of beggars, thieves, con men, rogues, vagabonds, gamblers, cut-purses, pickpockets, prostitutes, witches, astrologers, alchemists, rakehells, card sharps, and fortune tellers ...
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