29:
105:
150:
120:, a secret language. It is an ever-changing form of communication, in large part designed to be impossible to understand by an outsider. As words are assimilated into the culture at large, they lose their function and are replaced by more obscure or insular terms. Most carnies no longer use cant, but some owners/operators and "old-timers" ("half yarders") still use some of the classic terms.
790:, e.g. mark, work, snozz, et al. Pro wrestling originated in the carnivals of the 19th and early 20th century, where wrestlers not wanting to face regular injury and wanting to make bouts more entertaining would "stage" their fights. Carny language was used to disguise the staged nature of the bouts with all involved keeping "
615:, one of the Greenwich Village Trilogy, first published in 1969, some of the main characters are from a carny travelling between the stars in an alternate universe. Sylvia, one of the travellers, uses carny cant when she and one of the two Earth-born protagonists go into a carnival apparently in Earth's 20th century.
595:, recounts a schoolgirl's infatuation with a greasy-haired carney, a "speedway operator": It "is all a tremulous heart requires." After her advances are denied, she wonders, "How quickly would I die if I jumped from the top of the parachutes?"
641:, the hero flees with carnies to escape a brutal father. The head carny collects unusual people because he has discovered strange jewels that create people as works of art. Sturgeon himself worked as a carny for a time.
164:
667:
are science fiction, set on a planet populated by the descendants of a crashed space-going circus, with preserved and evolved carny culture elements including performance as a means of barter.
160:
127:("earz" or "eez" or "iz") to render regular language unintelligible to outsiders. This style eventually migrated into wrestling, hip hop, and other parts of modern culture.
751:
566:
373:, who works a "Monkey Maze" at the local fair. However, he doesn't know the meaning of the word, and when asked whether he is a carny, he responds: "I drive a motorcycle".
399:, released in 2022, the plot revolves around the murder of a carny named Cotton Candy Dan. The children visit the carnies' section of town, when investigating the murder.
55:
they use, particularly when the employee operates a game ("joint"), food stand ("grab", "popper", or "floss wagon"), or ride ("ride jock") at a carnival. The term "
804:." Insisting you're either part of the gimmick or "a pigeon walking down the midway, enjoying his cotton candy, waiting to lose his rent money on the midway".
76:
is thought to have become popularized around 1931 in North
America, when it was first colloquially used to describe one who works at a carnival. The word
447:, the ring toss game that they are fraudulently running is shut down. Throughout the episode carny jargon is used. One of the carnies is voiced by
960:
419:
says he understands some carny. In season 5, episode 11, Reddington speaks carny to an associate while being involved in illegal dealings.
214:
is a 1932 thriller which centers around the lives of carnival workers and features several real-life carnival performers in the cast.
844:
496:
feels unwanted at home and decides to run away to a carnival. There he is met by several carnies and quickly outperforms them.
906:
1008:
943:
882:
925:
707:" who travel from town to town slaughtering the residents with the intention of turning them into barbecue meat.
981:
800:
a formal carnival worker and stand up comedian states to his radio partner, "All the world is just carnies and
183:
732:
by
Rodgers and Hammerstein, based on Liliom the main character, Billy Bigelow is a Carnival Carousel Barker.
573:
549:
456:
242:
663:
624:
395:
179:
1074:
692:
411:
958:
848:
554:
175:
348:
259:
255:
787:
756:
581:
20:
222:
is a 1967 British horror film with
Burgess Meredith as a carny later revealed to be The Devil.
1089:
488:
218:
1042:. The author traveled with several U.S. carnivals and gained the confidence of many carnies.
569:" depicted the singer falling in love with a carny and following the show from town to town.
676:
653:
530:
361:
90:
figure and intended to show the consequences of social chaos), came into use around 1549.
8:
637:
1069:
1053:
728:
619:
440:
are forced to work as carnies after Bart destroys Hitler's car. After failing to bribe
416:
383:
319:
271:
231:
210:
109:
48:
852:
632:
378:
295:
279:
611:
518:
308:
235:
467:" centered around a traveling carnival in the American Southwest during the 1930s.
1079:
964:
947:
929:
910:
878:
696:
606:
340:
332:
328:
251:
117:
87:
52:
19:
This article is about carnival employees and carnival slang. For other uses, see
28:
1084:
797:
764:
681:
644:
588:
534:
522:
336:
267:
226:
171:
1063:
1039:
814:
747:
743:
562:
510:
479:
437:
370:
288:
284:
104:
1004:
343:. It is about a knife thrower who recruits a female assistant for his shows.
671:
526:
506:
493:
470:
444:
441:
433:
424:
366:
353:
304:
247:
86:" and referring to a time denoted by lawlessness (often ritualised under a
464:
903:
780:
538:
33:
941:
874:
819:
592:
514:
460:
features several characters that live and work in a traveling carnival.
448:
429:
312:
300:
263:
230:
is a 2007 movie directed by Brian Corder and starring Chris
Staviski,
1005:"Butthole Surfers | Gratis muziek, tourneedata, foto's, video's"
545:
387:
386:
speaks in
Ciazarn to some of the carnival workers when preparing for
977:
922:
773:
723:
by Ferenc Molnár, the main character is a carnival
Carousel Barker.
415:
season 5, episode 1, two carnies speak carny among each other, and
78:
123:
In addition to carny jargon, some carnival workers used a special
824:
791:
750:
features carnies and touches on carnival life, in particular the
287:
plays a carny who falls in love with a rich, southern socialite (
61:
541:. Singer-songwriter Formica Iglesia, on vocals, fronts the band.
719:
628:, the protagonist Michael spends some time living with carnies.
131:
99:
124:
783:
featuring a carny who helps to present and explain gameplay.
801:
83:
978:"CARNY | Gratis muziek, tourneedata, foto's, video's"
369:' character Casey meets a carny named Scotty P, played by
776:
474:
299:
is a 1980 movie directed by Robert Kaylor and starring
116:
The carny vocabulary is traditionally part of carnival
82:, originally meaning a "time of merrymaking before
47:, is an informal term used in North America for a
1061:
262:, which chronicles the rise and fall of a carny
130:The British form of fairground cant is called "
703:follows the exploits of a murderous band of "
59:" is used synonymously in Australia, while "
587:"Rusholme Ruffians," released on the album
137:
16:American slang term for carnival employee
103:
27:
266:. There is also a 2021 remake starring
1062:
1011:from the original on February 24, 2013
1033:
885:from the original on November 5, 2007
143:
923:The Secret History of Carnival Talk
867:
786:Many Carny words are still used by
13:
1027:
174:by removing the content or adding
14:
1101:
1047:
845:"Definition of showie in English"
509:is a psychedelic blues band from
93:
65:" is used in the United Kingdom.
984:from the original on May 8, 2012
577:is a 1972 album by Leon Russell.
492:episode "The Grass is Greener",
327:) is a 1999 French film shot in
315:. It has become a cult favorite.
148:
772:) is a video game made for the
1056:– A 1971 look at Conkin Shows.
1002:
996:
975:
969:
952:
935:
916:
897:
837:
1:
830:
473:, the title character of the
108:Johnnie, a carny at the 2007
68:
32:A carny ("jointee") and his
7:
808:
794:" or protecting the secret.
680:is set in a 1970s American
550:Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
356:is referred to as a carnie.
10:
1106:
909:February 20, 2008, at the
752:Ed and Am Hunter mysteries
625:Stranger in a Strange Land
567:That Song About The Midway
97:
18:
1034:Lewis, Arthur H. (1970).
533:, also featuring drummer
513:formed in 2005 featuring
390:’s trip to the next town.
352:, Johnny Blaze played by
246:is a 1947 movie starring
170:Please help Knowledge to
849:Oxford Living Dictionary
684:and makes reference to "
555:Your Funeral... My Trial
483:, was raised as a carny.
138:Usage in popular culture
963:March 13, 2008, at the
770:Carnival: Funfair Games
742:Much of the fiction of
396:The Bob's Burgers Movie
349:Ghost Rider (2007 film)
260:William Lindsay Gresham
788:professional wrestlers
757:The Fabulous Clipjoint
582:Cross Canadian Ragweed
256:novel of the same name
113:
37:
21:Carny (disambiguation)
946:July 8, 2010, at the
875:"Definition of carny"
489:The Fairly OddParents
454:The fourth season of
107:
31:
928:May 5, 2014, at the
768:(known in Europe as
531:Reverend Horton Heat
325:La Fille sur le pont
172:improve this section
638:The Dreaming Jewels
254:, adapted from the
184:independent sources
699:comic book series
620:Robert A. Heinlein
417:Raymond Reddington
384:Colonel Tom Parker
346:In the 2007 movie
320:Girl on the Bridge
277:In the 1988 movie
272:Guillermo del Toro
238:, and Lee Perkins.
114:
110:Indiana State Fair
51:employee, and the
49:traveling carnival
38:
754:, beginning with
633:Theodore Sturgeon
548:" is a song from
376:In the 2022 film
362:We're the Millers
359:In the 2013 film
280:Two Moon Junction
201:
200:
1097:
1075:Itinerant living
1043:
1021:
1020:
1018:
1016:
1000:
994:
993:
991:
989:
973:
967:
956:
950:
939:
933:
920:
914:
901:
895:
894:
892:
890:
871:
865:
864:
862:
860:
855:on April 7, 2017
851:. Archived from
841:
612:The Unicorn Girl
521:and producer of
519:Butthole Surfers
463:The HBO series "
331:and directed by
309:Robbie Robertson
270:and directed by
250:and directed by
236:Reggie Bannister
196:
193:
187:
152:
151:
144:
1105:
1104:
1100:
1099:
1098:
1096:
1095:
1094:
1060:
1059:
1050:
1030:
1028:Further reading
1025:
1024:
1014:
1012:
1007:. Myspace.com.
1001:
997:
987:
985:
980:. Myspace.com.
974:
970:
965:Wayback Machine
957:
953:
948:Wayback Machine
940:
936:
930:Wayback Machine
921:
917:
911:Wayback Machine
902:
898:
888:
886:
879:Merriam-Webster
873:
872:
868:
858:
856:
843:
842:
838:
833:
811:
697:Walter Flanagan
659:City of Baraboo
607:Michael Kurland
517:, guitarist of
341:Vanessa Paradis
333:Patrice Leconte
329:black and white
252:Edmund Goulding
243:Nightmare Alley
197:
191:
188:
169:
165:popular culture
153:
149:
140:
102:
96:
88:lord of misrule
71:
43:, also spelled
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1103:
1093:
1092:
1087:
1082:
1077:
1072:
1058:
1057:
1049:
1048:External links
1046:
1045:
1044:
1029:
1026:
1023:
1022:
995:
968:
951:
934:
915:
896:
866:
835:
834:
832:
829:
828:
827:
822:
817:
810:
807:
806:
805:
798:Ron Bennington
795:
784:
765:Carnival Games
761:
739:
738:
734:
733:
724:
714:
713:
709:
708:
689:
682:amusement park
668:
645:Barry Longyear
642:
629:
616:
602:
601:
597:
596:
589:Meat is Murder
585:
578:
570:
559:
542:
537:from the band
535:Sam McCandless
503:
502:
498:
497:
484:
468:
461:
452:
420:
406:
405:
401:
400:
391:
374:
357:
344:
337:Daniel Auteuil
316:
292:
275:
268:Bradley Cooper
239:
223:
219:Torture Garden
215:
206:
205:
202:
199:
198:
163:references to
156:
154:
147:
139:
136:
95:
94:Carny language
92:
70:
67:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1102:
1091:
1088:
1086:
1083:
1081:
1078:
1076:
1073:
1071:
1068:
1067:
1065:
1055:
1052:
1051:
1041:
1040:Trident Press
1037:
1032:
1031:
1010:
1006:
999:
983:
979:
972:
966:
962:
959:
955:
949:
945:
942:
938:
931:
927:
924:
919:
912:
908:
905:
900:
884:
880:
876:
870:
854:
850:
846:
840:
836:
826:
823:
821:
818:
816:
815:Romani people
813:
812:
803:
799:
796:
793:
789:
785:
782:
778:
775:
771:
767:
766:
762:
759:
758:
753:
749:
748:Fredric Brown
745:
741:
740:
736:
735:
731:
730:
725:
722:
721:
716:
715:
711:
710:
706:
702:
698:
694:
693:Bryan Johnson
690:
687:
683:
679:
678:
673:
669:
666:
665:
664:Elephant Song
660:
656:
655:
650:
646:
643:
640:
639:
634:
630:
627:
626:
621:
617:
614:
613:
608:
604:
603:
599:
598:
594:
590:
586:
583:
580:Carny Man by
579:
576:
575:
571:
568:
564:
563:Joni Mitchell
560:
557:
556:
552:on the album
551:
547:
543:
540:
536:
532:
528:
524:
520:
516:
512:
511:Austin, Texas
508:
505:
504:
500:
499:
495:
491:
490:
485:
482:
481:
480:The Mentalist
476:
472:
469:
466:
462:
459:
458:
453:
450:
446:
443:
439:
438:Homer Simpson
435:
431:
427:
426:
421:
418:
414:
413:
412:The Blacklist
408:
407:
403:
402:
398:
397:
392:
389:
385:
381:
380:
375:
372:
371:Mark L. Young
368:
364:
363:
358:
355:
351:
350:
345:
342:
338:
334:
330:
326:
322:
321:
317:
314:
310:
306:
302:
298:
297:
293:
290:
289:Sherilyn Fenn
286:
285:Richard Tyson
282:
281:
276:
273:
269:
265:
261:
257:
253:
249:
245:
244:
240:
237:
233:
229:
228:
224:
221:
220:
216:
213:
212:
208:
207:
203:
195:
185:
181:
177:
173:
167:
166:
162:
157:This section
155:
146:
145:
142:
141:
135:
133:
128:
126:
121:
119:
111:
106:
101:
91:
89:
85:
81:
80:
75:
66:
64:
63:
58:
54:
50:
46:
42:
35:
30:
26:
22:
1090:Circus films
1054:CBC Archives
1038:. New York:
1035:
1013:. Retrieved
998:
986:. Retrieved
971:
954:
937:
918:
899:
887:. Retrieved
869:
857:. Retrieved
853:the original
839:
769:
763:
755:
727:
718:
704:
700:
685:
675:
672:Stephen King
662:
658:
654:Circus World
652:
649:Circus World
648:
636:
623:
610:
572:
553:
527:Meat Puppets
494:Timmy Turner
487:
478:
477:crime drama
471:Patrick Jane
455:
445:Chief Wiggum
442:Police Chief
434:Bart Simpson
425:The Simpsons
423:
410:
394:
377:
367:Emma Roberts
360:
354:Nicolas Cage
347:
324:
318:
305:Jodie Foster
294:
278:
248:Tyrone Power
241:
225:
217:
209:
192:October 2023
189:
159:may contain
158:
129:
122:
115:
77:
73:
72:
60:
56:
44:
40:
39:
25:
889:November 6,
781:Nintendo DS
335:, starring
34:coconut shy
1064:Categories
1015:January 6,
988:January 6,
831:References
820:Mardi Gras
600:Literature
593:The Smiths
591:(1985) by
515:Paul Leary
449:Jim Varney
430:Bart Carny
404:Television
313:Meg Foster
301:Gary Busey
232:Doug Jones
161:irrelevant
98:See also:
1070:Carnivals
691:The 2005
670:The 2013
635:'s novel
546:The Carny
465:CarnivĂ le
428:episode "
388:Hank Snow
176:citations
69:Etymology
1036:Carnival
1009:Archived
982:Archived
961:Archived
944:Archived
926:Archived
907:Archived
883:Archived
881:Online.
859:April 6,
809:See also
774:Nintendo
760:in 1947.
729:Carousel
180:reliable
79:carnival
53:language
825:Showman
792:kayfabe
746:writer
712:Theater
705:carnies
686:carnies
677:Joyland
523:Sublime
264:con man
227:Carnies
62:showman
36:in 2005
1080:Nomads
720:Liliom
701:Karney
674:novel
651:books
574:Carney
565:song "
457:Heroes
311:, and
211:Freaks
132:polari
100:Polari
57:showie
45:carnie
1085:Slang
904:Carny
802:rubes
737:Other
507:Carny
501:Music
379:Elvis
296:Carny
125:infix
74:Carny
41:Carny
1017:2013
1003:US.
990:2013
976:US.
891:2007
861:2017
779:and
744:pulp
695:and
661:and
561:The
539:Cold
436:and
339:and
204:Film
182:and
118:cant
84:Lent
777:Wii
726:In
717:In
647:'s
631:In
622:'s
618:In
609:'s
605:In
486:In
475:CBS
432:",
422:In
409:In
393:In
258:by
178:to
134:".
1066::
877:.
847:.
688:".
657:,
529:,
525:,
382:,
365:,
307:,
303:,
291:).
283:,
234:,
1019:.
992:.
932:.
913:.
893:.
863:.
584:.
558:.
544:"
451:.
323:(
274:.
194:)
190:(
186:.
168:.
112:.
23:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
