-izzle

English

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ɪzəl/

Etymology

Originally popularized by the 1981 funk song Double Dutch Bus by Frankie Smith, which began with the call

Willze illzare plizzayin' dizzouble dizzutch! ("We are playing double dutch!")

It also contained the lines

Bilzarbra, Mitzery, Milzetty, Kilsan

Titzommy, Kitzerrance, Kilzommy that's my man

Recently re-popularized by rap artist Snoop Dogg.

It was based on a style of cant (esoteric slang) used by African American pimps and jive hustlers of the 1970s. The “-iz, -izzle, -izzo, -ilz” speak, similar in some ways to Pig Latin, was developed by African Americans around the period of the Harlem Renaissance, with hotspots of the speak in Oakland, New York City, and Philadelphia. It was partially developed as young African American girls improvised chants and nursery rhymes while jumping rope, with the -iz dialect serving to add syllables when necessary to maintain the rhythm. A similar -iz dialect has also been used by carnies (carnival workers).

Suffix

-izzle

1. (slang) A slang suffix to form hip-hop-sounding words, which replaces the word with the first letter or letters of the word followed by -izzle.
   • 2004, Hollywood Reporter, British judge: nizzle-shizzling not an offense

     A bewigged British judge ruled on Thursday that the lyrics of a rap record urging the listener to “shizzle my nizzle” and referring to a “mish mish man” did not constitute an offense.

   • February 15 2005, The Guardian, Shortcuts

     Snoop Dogg has always had a refreshing take on British culture. When he met Rod Hull and Emu on The Word, for instance, he took exception to the overindulged bird’s lunge at his genitals (or “lizzle at his gizzle”, to use Snoop’s parlance). After a short struggle, the rapper’s foot rested on the bird-handler’s neck. If only Parky had been so proactive.

Usage notes

Can be generalized to an insertion of -iz- before the first vowel in each word. For example, peanut butter becomes pizeanut bizutter.

Derived terms

See: English words suffixed with -izzle

• fo shizzle
• nizzle
• shizzle

See also

• pizzle