Similarly, the French argot verlan, in which the order of the syllables within a word is inverted, is also widely used. The term "verlan" is an autological example of the process it describes, derived from inverting the syllables of l'envers, meaning "reverse". Documented initially in the 19th century, Verlan was used as a coded language by criminals in effort to conceal illicit activities from others, including police. Over time, particularly in the late 20th century, its use has proliferated in suburban areas predominantly inhabited by migrant workers. Verlan has served as a language bridge between many of these diverse communities, and its popularity encouraged its spread into advertising, film scripts, French rap and hip-hop music, media, and some French dictionaries. In some cases, Verlanned words have even supplanted their original forms.
Similarly, the French argot verlan, in which the order of the syllables within a word is inverted, is also widely, used. The term "verlan" is an autological example of the process it describes, derived from inverting the syllables of l'envers, meaning "reverse". Documented initially in the 19th century, Verlan was used as a coded language by criminals in effort to conceal illicit activities from others, including police. Over time particularly in the late 20th century, its use has proliferated in suburban areas predominantly inhabited by migrant workers. Verlan has served as a language bridge between many of these diverse communities, and its popularity encouraged its spread into advertising, film scripts, French rap and hip-hop music, media, and some French dictionaries. In some cases, Verlanned words have even supplanted their original forms.