Boontling, The Language of Boonville and Anderson Valley Brewing

Atlas Obscura daily takes subscribers to obscure and fascinating corners of the world; today it’s Boonville Calif., home of Anderson Valley Brewing and the local dialect, Boontling:

The origins of Boontling are uncertain. Maybe children made the language up so they could talk to each other without their parents knowing. Or maybe it was the other way around. Some say it developed among gossiping women in the hops fields. However it developed, it caught on, and in the late 19th century a new language was born in Boonville that still survives today.

Here’s the whole story and pictures…