# Gayle language

Gayle, or Gail, is an English- and Afrikaans-based gay argot or slang used primarily by English and Afrikaans-speaking homosexual men in urban communities of South Africa, and is similar in some respects to Polari in the United Kingdom, from which some lexical items have been borrowed. The equivalent language used by gay South African men who speak Bantu languages is called IsiNgqumo, and is based on a Nguni lexicon.
Gayle originally manifested as moffietaal (Afrikaans: literally, "homosexual language") in the drag culture of the Cape Coloured community in the 1950s. It permeated into white homosexual circles in the 1960s and became part of mainstream white gay culture.
Besides a few core words borrowed from Polari (such as the word varda meaning "to see", itself a borrowing from Lingua Franca), most of Gayle's words are alliterative formations using women's names, such as Beulah for "beauty", Priscilla, meaning "police", and Hilda for "hideous". Men, especially other homosexual men, are often referred to by female pronouns in some circles, as is the custom among many homosexual countercultures throughout the world.
Gayle arose for the same reason that most antilanguages develop, to ensure in-group preference in diverse societies. However it also fulfilled other functions such as to "camp up" conversation, and provide entertainment in a subculture where verbal wit and repartee are highly valued.
A comprehensive study of Gayle was undertaken by linguist Ken Cage in 2002, and his Master’s Thesis was published as “Gayle, the language of Kinks and Queens” (2003: Jacana Media). This book, although out of print now, was the first attempt to publish a history of Gayle, as well as a basic dictionary of the argot.
More recently, Gayle has experienced a resurgence and increased popularity following the Showmax series Beaulah: Queens Van die Kaap - a 2024 reality TV show that documents the lives and talents of prominent and upcoming drag queens from the Cape Town drag scene. Gayle has also seen some vitality on Tik Tok.

## Commonly used terms

| Gayle term | English translation |
| Abigail | abortion |
| Ada | bum, buttocks |
| Adele | a gay person with a reputation for vindictiveness, dangerous |
| Agatha | a gossip |
| Aida or Aunty Aida | HIV / AIDS |
| Amanda | amazing |
| Angela | kind, helpful |
| Belinda | blind |
| Bella | to bash, to hit, to beat up |
| Betty Bangles or Jennifer Justice | hand-cuffs, the police |
| Betty Boems / Knit | sex |
| Belinia or Beulah | beautiful, gorgeous, handsome |
| Brenda | to burn |
| Brunhilda | excessively ugly |
| Carol | to cry |
| cha cha palace | discotheque or club |
| Cheryl | cheerful |
| Christina | a gay man who attends church |
| Cilla | cigarette |
| Cindy | a young person, teenager |
| Clora | person of mixed race, "coloured" |
| conch | vagina |
| Daphne | deaf |
| Deborah | depressed |
| Delilah | delightful |
| Diana | to die |
| Dora | a drink or in a drunken state |
| Doreen or Dora de la Poės | drunk |
| Dorette | small drink |
| Emma | embarrassing |
| Erica | erection |
| Ethel, Ola or Olga | elderly, old |
| Fatima | fat |
| Feulah | furious |
| Gail | to speak |
| Great Dane | large penis |
| Griselda | grisly, ugly |
| handbag (or bag) | guy, boyfriend, male companion, man |
| Harriet or Wella (after the hair care brand) | hair, hairdo |
| Hilda | hideous |
| Iris | irritate |
| Jella | hurry up |
| Jessica | jealous or insane |
| Joan | bitter, gay man |
| Julia | jewelry |
| Katrina | bum, buttocks |
| KFC | sex |
| Laura | lover |
| Leonie | liar |
| Lesley/s | leg/s |
| Lettie | lesbian |
| Linda | a lie, to lie |
| Lizzy | lazy |
| Lucy | sexually active |
| Lulu | laugh |
| lunch | penis, particularly when showing through trousers |
| Vera or Veronica | to vomit |
| Mary | a square, straight-laced, nerdish (as in 'Virgin Mary') |
| Maureen | murder |
| Mavis, Gertrude or Gertie | very effeminate man |
| Mara or Mariam | thin |
| Milly or Mildred | crazy |
| Mince, Mina or Mina Moo | to walk |
| Moira | music |
| Monica (Lewinsky) | mouth |
| Nancy, or nanny | no |
| Natalie | African person |
| Nigel | to have sex (likely from Afrikaans naai or neuk) |
| Nora | not nice, off, distasteful, naf, ignorant |
| Olive | attractive man |
| Patsy | a party |
| Pearl or Petunia | to urinate |
| Petula Clark | passed out, unconscious |
| Persephone | to perspire |
| Poppy or Aunty Poppie | poppers, amyl nitrate |
| Priscilla | police |
| Rachel | rape |
| Rita | rent boy |
| Sally (Bob) | fellatio, oral sex |
| Sheila | (to) shit |
| Stella | to steal, stolen |
| Susy / Susan | suicide |
| Tessa | to tease (your hair) |
| Tilly | masturbate, give someone a 'hand job' |
| Trudie | trouble |
| varda or Carla | to look |
| Vera | to vomit |
| Veronica | voice |
| Vivian | vibrator |
| Virginia | virgin |
| Vis | woman |
| Wendy | Caucasian person |
Varda that Beulah bag! translates to "Look at that beautiful man!"$^{:23–24}$