Schott's Significa: The Hidden Vocabulary of Subcultures, Societies, and Everyday Speech by Ben Schott

A language taxonomy for our curious times. Every day we are surrounded by complex, private systems of knowledge and language: some we use ourselves, others we observe or overhear. Every trade, gang, clique, and profession develops a private lexicon of words, signs, and signals to bind its members closer while keeping strangers out. From dog-walkers to spies, sommeliers to gym-goers, typography to graffiti, Schott's Significa decodes the secret languages that surround us. Packed with analysis exploring these taxonomies in all their fascinating detail, photographs and illustrations, this book is a dynamic evolution of the Miscellany concept for our curious times and the key to unlocking the hidden worlds around us.