A Study of “Verlan” in French Language

The phenomenon of “verlan” (syllable inversion) is a specific word formation process in contemporary French language.Although it is a small part in French language, “verlan” is an important research topic.It is not only an important part of language used in a suburban youth community, but also reflects the mentality of the low-income suburban residents and immigrants, especially the young second-generation.This paper will firstly discuss how “verlan” is created through textual analysis of rap lyrics, and then analyse the acceptability of this linguistic phenomenon in French society and its effects on the French language.Finally, this paper will discuss the living conditions and mental state of the suburban youth community.