Germanía () is the Spanish term for the argot used by criminals or in jails in Spain during 16th and 17th centuries. Its purpose is to keep outsiders out of the conversation. The ultimate origin of the word is the Latin word , through Catalan (brother) and ("brotherhood, guild").

Some documentation for it occurs in picaresque works as early as the Spanish Golden Century, such as in Quevedo's El Buscón. Some writers used it in poetry for comical effect.

After the arrival of the Romani people and their frequent imprisonment, germanía incorporated much vocabulary from Romany and its descendant, the caló jargon. As time passed, several words entered popular use and even standard Spanish, losing their value for secrecy.

Other jargons based on Spanish

  • Bron
  • Gacería
  • Lunfardo (Argentina and Uruguay)
  • Quinqui

See also

  • Thieves' cant
  • Rotwelsch

References

  • Spain 1516–1522: The Troubled Succession of Charles V - Part 9: The Germanía
  • Germanía in the RAE dictionary.