The theme of today’s “State” crossword puzzle is “Pigging out.” The puzzle’s pretty easy, but I can’t figure out how the theme relates to the words. I need the straight dope here.
First you pick a suffix - let’s use “ay.”
Then you choose a word - let’s use “pig.”
Move the first letter of the word to make it the last letter of the word and add your suffix.
Pig = igpay
Latin = atinlay
Got it?
Some people are so good at doing this that it sounds like they’re speaking a different language. I sound like an idiot when I try…just can’t make the switches quickly enough.
Pig Latin: Move the initial consonant sound to the rear and add an “ay”. Thus “loot” becomes “ootlay”, “plunder” becomes “underplay”. If the initial sound is a vowel, simply add “way” to the end. Thus “oops” becomes “oopsway”. try it yourself with this English-to-Pig Latin translator.
I also like Skid, a fun “language” which involves placing “lf” after the first vowel, then repeating the vowel. Cat becomes calfat, dog becomes dolfog. Kilfinda stulfupid, bulfut fulfun.
Most of us learned to speak Pig Latin in elementary school. Think about some of the other things you learned from your friends at that age, and there’s your answer.
Pig Latin is said to have started with kids at English public schools. Like all such kid “languages”, it is a way to establish an “in” crowd, an attempt to keep communications secret from adults, and a game.