paralexicon
/pæɹəˈlɛksɪkɒn/
paralexicon means A parallel set of vocabulary within a language, e.g. a formal register, ritual language or secret cant, code switching. Lexicurio rates it Sui generis — a strength score of 89 out of 100.
paralexicon is pronounced /pæɹəˈlɛksɪkɒn/.
Why “paralexicon” is a great word
PARALEXICON — [Noun] A distinct, parallel set of vocabulary within a language, such as a formal register, ritual language, or secret cant, used in code-switching or specialized contexts. From the English prefix para- (meaning "beside, parallel to, altered") + lexicon (meaning "vocabulary of a language"). Unlike argot, which denotes the secretive jargon of a subculture, or register, which emphasizes a stylistic level defined by situation, a paralexicon is the tangible inventory itself—a shadow dictionary waiting to be deployed. It is the stilted Latinisms of a legal brief, the reverent archaisms of a sacred text, and the coded slang of childhood friends; each a hidden door within one's own language, proving that to name things differently is to experience them separately.
Etymology
* para- + lexicon
noun
- A parallel set of vocabulary within a language, e.g. a formal register, ritual language or secret cant, code switching“A frequent function of the paralexicon is secrecy. […] Sometimes the paralexicon is acquired during childhood as a first language, Ma'a [a paralexicon of Mbugu] for example. In many cases it is acquired later, such as registers of respect, initiation languages and languages created by adolescents.”