verlan

verlan [vεʀlɑ̃]

masculine noun

backslang

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VERLAN

Verlan is a kind of backslang that has become extremely popular among young people in France. It consists of inverting the syllables of words, and often then truncating the result to make a new word. The slang words « meuf », « keuf », « keum » and « beur » are verlan renderings of the words « femme », « flic », « mec » and « Arabe ». The expression « laisse béton » (forget it) is verlan for « laisse tomber », and the word verlan itself comes from the expression « à l'envers » (back to front).

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is a form of French slang which reverses the order of syllables in many common words rendering them more or less incomprehensible to the uninitiated. For example, the term itself is derived from the word l'envers the syllables of which are reversed to create vers-l'en which in turn becomes verlan. Single syllable words are also converted so femme becomes meuf, mec becomes keum, etc. A recent coinage for énervé is vénère

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vɛʀlɑ̃ nm

back slang

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verlan nm: form of French slang.

ⓘ Verlan is a form of French slang which reverses the order of syllables in many common words rendering them more or less incomprehensible to the uninitiated. For example, the term itself is derived from the word l'envers the syllables of which are reversed to create vers-l'en which in turn becomes verlan. Single syllable words are also converted so femme becomes meuf, mec becomes keum, etc. A recent coinage for énervé is vénère.

[vɛrlɑ̃] nom masculin

≃ backslang

VERLAN

This form of slang, popular among young people, involves inverting the syllables of words. The term verlan is the word l'envers pronounced back to front. Well-known examples of verlan are ripou (pourri, used to refer to corrupt policemen), laisse béton ! (laisse tomber ! - forget it!), and meuf (femme). The term Beur comes from the verlan version of the word Arabe.