Cant is a secret language that was historically used by travelling families in Perthshire, Scotland. The language, known as Perthshire Cant, was used to communicate secretly and maintain a separate identity from the local community. However, the traditional travelling lifestyle has declined and fewer families now travel, contributing to the decline of the Cant language. Today, Sheila Stewart is considered the last speaker of the Perthshire Cant, preserving remnants of the secret language and culture before it dies out completely.

1. Cant
Group 4:
1.
2.
3.
4. Rose Shandi C
5. Alfi Syahri R
6. Primadina Cahyati
7. Ian Ardyan
8. Iwan Eko

2. Definition of Cant
(vocabulary.com)
Cant is language repeated so often and so
mechanically that it's essentially empty of
meaning. Cant can also mean the specialized
jargon of a particular group.
(http://www.yourdictionary.com/cant)
Cant is a whining type of speech used by
beggars, thieves and gypsies : An example of
cant is two panhandlers speaking to each
other in a language that others won't
understand.

3. (Wikipedia)
Cant is a slang form of the english language (street talk). The
simple Thieves' cant is used by many common lower class
individuals (not just thieves), and is often known by law
officials who have been in the field for some time.
(Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionarry)
Special words used by a particular group of people
such as thieves, lawyers or priests, often in order to
keep things secret .

4. History of Cant
“Perthshire Cant: Secret language of Scottish
travellers”
By Anne Gibson (BBC History)
A secret language preserved for hundreds of years and
used only by travelling families is on the verge of
extinction.
Sheila Stewart is the last in
line of the Perthshire Cant
speakers

5.  T h e
Th
Bl
ma
f a
f o
'T r
we
b a
s o
a r
p l
T r a v e l l i n g S t e wa r t s
e
St e wa r t
f a mi l y
o f
a i r g o wr i e ,
h e a d e d
b y
t r i a r c h
B e l l e , b e c a me
mi l i a r
f i g u r e s o n t h e
l k
s c e n e .
Th e
a v e l l i n g
St e wa r t s '
r e
k n o wn
f o r
t h e i r
l l a d
s i n g i n g .
Th e s e
n g s t h a t h a d b e e n s u n g
o u n d t h e c a mp f i r e f o r
e a s u r e
we r e
h a n d e d

6. • Secret code
"It was a secret language,“ says Sheila
"No one ever knew what we were saying.
Because that was the only identity we
had to separate us from the local
community.“
•"Wh e n e v e r
t r a v e l l e r s me t t h e y
s p o k e
t h e
Ca n t ,
e s p e c i a l l y
a t
t h e
b e r r y
p i c k i n g t i me .
We 'd s p e a k i t
a ' t h e
t i me
r o u n d
t h e

7.  Dying language
The travellers' way of life has changed and that, too,
has contributed to the language's disappearance.
Fewer families travel now and many have moved into
houses.
"That was a big problem [for Cant]," says Sheila.
"Because if they got to stay in their usual places [on
the road] they would amalgamate wi' the other
travelling folk and the Cant was rife.“
 Travellers’ culture
"When you see films on television it's all about the
discrimination of travellers," says Sheila, "they never
bring out the other ways of life of the travelling people their Cant language, their songs, their ballads, their
stories. "

8. Examples of Cant
Perthshire Cant words:
Wammilin coocavie - boiling kettle
Mort - woman
Coul - man
Naismort - mother
Naiskil - father
Kinchins - children

9. Conclusion
 Cant is secret language, commonly it is
used by certain people or group of
people that there are no one knows what
they are talking about.