---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: This was thieves’ cant. Mosca was a lover…"
description: "\"“This was thieves’ cant. Mosca was a lover of words, and she had a sneaking liking for the grimy panache of cant, and those who wore it like a ragged r..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60b/frances-hardinge-1417_cloak_this-was-thieves-cant-mosca-was-a-lover_1762708.png"
---

#  This was thieves’ cant. Mosca was a lover of words, and…

![“This was thieves’ cant. Mosca was a lover of words, and she had a sneaking liking for the grimy panache of cant, and those who wore it like a ragged red cloak.” quote by Frances Hardinge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60b/frances-hardinge-1417_cloak_this-was-thieves-cant-mosca-was-a-lover_1762708.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60b/frances-hardinge-1417_cloak_this-was-thieves-cant-mosca-was-a-lover_1762708.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60b/frances-hardinge-1417_cloak_this-was-thieves-cant-mosca-was-a-lover_1762708.png)

> ““This was thieves’ cant. Mosca was a lover of words, and she had a sneaking liking for the grimy panache of cant, and those who wore it like a ragged red cloak.””

[Frances Hardinge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hardinge/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A character uses secret slang to signal belonging, highlighting how language can both unite and exclude.

**In simple terms:** Secret slang shows group identity and division.

Key Takeaway

Be aware of language’s power to include or exclude.

Themes

identity language belonging exclusion subculture

Mood

cautious analytical

Type

literary observational

When to use this quote

- youth subcultures
- online communities
- political movements

Key Concepts

sociolinguistics power dynamics secret codes

Questions to Reflect On

- What does this slang reveal about the group?
- How can inclusive language be fostered?

A Different Perspective

Overuse can create barriers.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Thieves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thieves/)

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> [I see the beard and cloak, but I don't yet see a philosopher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aulus-gellius/i-see-the-beard-and-cloak-but-i-don-t-yet-see-a-philosopher/)

[Aulus Gellius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aulus-gellius/)

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> [Shame is pride's cloak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/shame-is-pride-s-cloak/)

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## More by Frances Hardinge

> [“It is dangerous to lock oneself away and lose track of what is happening outside.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hardinge/it-is-dangerous-to-lock-oneself-away-and-lose-track-of-what-is/)

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[Explore all 244 Frances Hardinge quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hardinge/)

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> [“he does not wear a twitching, mobile, human face, but rather a mask, as it were, with its features in dignified equilibrium; he does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/he-does-not-wear-a-twitching-mobile-human-face-but-rather-a-mask-as/)

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