I’m a conlanger, so I construct languages. I’m working on a conlang set in a world where the European conquest of India was far more brutal, including the suppression of native languages. But the people get around it with pigdins, creoles, and cants.

There is one cant in our real world which I am taking as inspiration called Khalsa Bole (the speech of the Pure ie Sikhs) or Gar Gar Bole (thundering speech), used by Akali Nihang warrior-saints. The coding is funny sometimes, and sometimes just badass.

Here’s one example:

savā lakh = 125,000-strong army (literal meaning) = approach of one Nihang Sikh (encoded meaning)