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O-day ou-yay eak-spay ig-pay Atin-lay?

Vopocêpê fapalapa apa lípinguapa dopo pêpê?

Language games like Pig Latin in English and a língua do pê in Portuguese are common in many of the world’s languages. If your target language has a language game, your students can learn to use it to gain both a better awareness of target language word structure and target culture historical background and pragmatic norms around that particular language game.

Objectives: Students will be able to

• Analyze word structure sufficiently to apply the rules of a language game that changes the pronunciation of the words.
• Identify the role of a particular language game in the target culture.
• Predict how the learner’s use of the language game in the target culture may be received.

Procedure:

1. Choose a language that is part of the target culture. You can find a list of many language games with different languages here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Language_game#List_of_common_language_games. Another discussion is available here: https://linguistlist.org/issues/8/8-1079.html.

Example: Izz Latin in English, as popularized by Snoop Dogg and Jay-Z and showcased in the song “Double Dutch Bus”

2. Research the historical and cultural background of the language game, and if possible find media depicting its use. Prepare an explanation of how the language game works.

Example: Here are a few article about -izzle in English: https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/-izzle, https://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/12/magazine/izzle.html

Here is a video that makes use of Izz Latin in English: https://youtu.be/fK9hK82r-AM (starting at 1:38)

Here is a transcript of the lyrics, and an explanation of the background of the language game: https://genius.com/Frankie-smith-double-dutch-bus-lyrics

Here is a “translation” of the segment of the video into “regular” English (scroll to the bottom of the conversation): http://www.inthe00s.com/archive/misheard/smf/1112247048.shtml

3. Present the media exemplifying the language game, or if media isn’t available, model its use yourself. Lead students through the process of figuring out how the language game works, “translating” from game language to “normal” language, then writing something in the target language and figuring out how to say it in the game language, and finally reflecting on what they may have learned about word structure in the target language.

Example: Here is a worksheet dealing with Izz Latin and “Double Dutch Bus.”

4. Lead students in a discussion of the social and historical background of the game language and how their use of it in the target culture may be received. You can use the attached reflection worksheet for any language (this worksheet is loosely based on the "Discuss - Brainstorm - Dramatize - Stand back" thinking routine described here). 

Example: With Izz Latin, students should consider the degree to which this language game has become associated with African-American and rap culture, and whether their use of it would be received as “cool,” a novelty (because of a non-Black, L2 speaker of English using it), or cultural appropriation; following this discussion each person can make an informed decision regarding whether/when to use it.

Extension: Students may wish to research other language games in the target language (for example, Pig Latin and Gibberish for English), or they may wish to invent their own language game that fits the word structure of the target language.