Riocontra () is a type of argot in the Italian language, featuring inversion of syllables in a word or metathesis, and is common in slang and youth language.
Background The language developed in the 1970s in the neighborhood of Lambrate in Milan, It was made famous by Guido Nicheli and Diego Abatantuono, in the 1983 film Il ras del quartiere. We remember the intervention by some amateurs who appeared sometimes on television in the Portobello program, in which amateurs preferred to reverse the order of the individual sounds and not of the syllables (casa (house) > "asac").
Formation rules of neologisms In spite of insufficient education and non-standard use of the language, Riocontra speakers have produced a rich lexical repertoire. The passage from the official language to Riocontra occurs as mentioned mainly through the inversion of the syllables, but also with the change of the last vowel and truncation and elision in the last vowel of the neologism formed.
Examples The table below summarizes and gives examples of this formation (the cell is left blank when the change does not apply to that term).
Initial termphrase in jargon SyllableDivision Inversion truncation definite article Translation in Italian Translation in Englishbabbobab-boboba/bobaz (slang suffix)il/ipadrefatherbambinobambi-nonobambikidbellabel-lallabeciaohibestiabe-stiastiabeassaibeast (means a lot, very good, depending on the situation)capitocapi-totocapiunderstoodcasaca-sasacahomecazzoca-zzozzocapenis (Intensifier)chesciatochescia-totocchesciaricco rich (from chesciare (make cash), from cash + -are)cilottoci-lottolottocilumchillumcinquecin-quequincifiveculocu-lolocuasscrastocra-stostocrafigocooldrogadro-gagadrodrugfattonefa-tto-netoffa / tofadrogatodrug addictfigafi-gagafivulvafigofi-gogoficool guyfratefra-tetefrafratellobrotherfumofu-momoffohashishgabbioga-bbiobiogagabbiaprison (from gabbia (cage))gergoger-gogorgeslanggrammogra-mmomogragramgranogra-nonogramoneygrassogra-ssosograsostanziososubstantialschiaffofo-schiafoschia/fischiaslapaggiuntaiunta-agg'iunta adding a dose to the drugs sold by the dealerpesope-sosopeheavy (difficult situation)piazzapia-zzazapia square (neighborhood)pizzapi-zzazapiscudoscu-dodoscu5 euros (etim. from Italian scudo)tipati-papatigirltroiatro-iaiatrobitchladrola-drodrolathiefmerdamer-dadamerescrementmezzazza-mezamehalf (50 euro)palolo-palopapole (1000 euro)madamama-da-mamamadapoliziamadame (police)madrema-dredremamothermezzome-zzozomemezzo di traportomeans of transport / vehiclepadrepa-dredrepafatherperepe-rerepesenobreastspipparepippa-rerepippasniffare cocainasnorting cocaine (from pipa (pipe))pulapu-lalapupoliziapolice (from the Milanese pulé or from pulotto)pulitopuli-totopulicleanbirrabi-rrarabibeersbattasba-ttatasbaimpegnativo (from sbattimento)challengingstoriasto-riariastoqualcosahistory (something)selvaggiasel-vaggiagioselvala/leragazza prosperosabusty girlsborrasbo-rrarasbospermaspermschifosischi-fo-sefosischifilthyluridoluri-dodoluriPaninaro (sandwich maker)filthy (Food truck)sgamosga-momosgasuss outTo find out something secretstradastra-dadastraroad (neighborhood)sbirrosbi-rrorosbipoliceman/copspaccinospa-cci-nocispadrug dealersoldisol-didisolmoneysuonosuo-nonosuomoneylavorolavo-rorolavowork/jobtrenotre-nonotretraincesso ce-ssosocetoilet (ugly boy/girl)scopare sco-pa-rerescopato sweep (to fuck)pezzo pe-zzozopepezzo di hashishpiece of hashishprete pre-teteprepriest (guy with a clean record)vecchiove-cchiochioveil/laeldervibrazionevibra-zio-nevibraneziovibrationvinovi-nonoviwinea casoa ca-soa socacasualmentecasuallyalla grandealla-gran-dealla degragreatdi bruttodi-bru-ttodi tobrutantissimoa lotfiga di legnofi-ga-di-le-gnogafi di gnolewooden pussy (chaste, restrained girl)bella di bruttobe-lla-di-bru-ttolabe di tobruvery beautifulchili di granochi-li-di-gra-nolochi di nograkilos of money (a lot of money)Dio canedio-ca-nedio necadog god (blasphemous profanity)schifo al cazzoschi-fo-al-ca-zzofoschi allo zocait suckstocco di fumoto-cco-di-fu-mocotto di moffopiece of hashish
The r move The pronunciation of the letter "r" at the end of an inverted word risks merging with the next word or even not being pronounced, so it is placed between the two syllables once inverted to make the pronunciation more fluid.
Furto - toFu(r) - to(r)Fu............. Torfu Carte - teCa(r) - te(r)Ca............... Terca Morte - teMo(r) - te(r)Mo............... Termo
The exception is the word merda, which although it can become darme, becomes damer or rdame
Some syntactic gemination also happens:
chesciato → tochescia → tocchescia Riccone → nericco → nerrico tocco → ccoto → cotto
It should also be noted that, with the inversion, the plural is lost.
Babbi → (i) boba Sbirri → (i) rosbi Selvagge → (le) gioselva Tipe → (le) pati Chili → (i) lochi
Developments of the riocontra
The riocontra then gradually spread throughout Italy with the advent of trap music, as the language of the youth groups. Taking up mechanisms similar to those of French verlan, similar jargons have also been established in other Western countries. On the other hand, the trancorioIl trancorio, storia di una lingua tutta bresciana developed in the Mompiano district of Brescia. The Milanese rapper Nerone is until now the only one to have written a song almost entirely in Riocontra. The song is ironically titled La Miaccade Llade Scacru, or "La Accademia della Crusca" (Album: , 2017) or Foschi al zzoca (schifo al cazzo) (Album: , 2020). The Milanese rapper Lazza usually uses Riocontra in his productions as with the album . Quentin40 and Puritano's Thoiry piece is also of relevance for its jargon based on apocope or shortenings.
References
Bibliography Aldofre e Nigiova Di Nobru, "Il Riocontra illutostra", Giulio è in Audi editore, 2017
See also Jargon Verlan Vesre Furbesco Farfallino alphabet