Prison slang
Encyclopedia
Prison slang is an argot
used primarily by criminals and/or detainees in correctional institutions. As might be expected, many of the terms deal with criminal behavior, sex or violence. Prison slang has existed as long as there have been crime and prisons; in Charles Dickens
' time it was known as "thieves' cant
." Words from prison slang often eventually migrate into common usage, such as "snitch
" and "Narc."
Prison slang, like other types of slang
and dialect
s, varies regionally.
Argot
An Argot is a secret language used by various groups—including, but not limited to, thieves and other criminals—to prevent outsiders from understanding their conversations. The term argot is also used to refer to the informal specialized vocabulary from a particular field of study, hobby, job,...
used primarily by criminals and/or detainees in correctional institutions. As might be expected, many of the terms deal with criminal behavior, sex or violence. Prison slang has existed as long as there have been crime and prisons; in Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens
Charles John Huffam Dickens was an English novelist, generally considered the greatest of the Victorian period. Dickens enjoyed a wider popularity and fame than had any previous author during his lifetime, and he remains popular, having been responsible for some of English literature's most iconic...
' time it was known as "thieves' cant
Thieves' cant
Thieves' cant or Rogues' cant was a secret language which was formerly used by thieves, beggars and hustlers of various kinds in Great Britain and to a lesser extent in other English-speaking countries...
." Words from prison slang often eventually migrate into common usage, such as "snitch
Informant
An informant is a person who provides privileged information about a person or organization to an agency. The term is usually used within the law enforcement world, where they are officially known as confidential or criminal informants , and can often refer pejoratively to the supply of information...
" and "Narc."
Prison slang, like other types of slang
Slang
Slang is the use of informal words and expressions that are not considered standard in the speaker's language or dialect but are considered more acceptable when used socially. Slang is often to be found in areas of the lexicon that refer to things considered taboo...
and dialect
Dialect
The term dialect is used in two distinct ways, even by linguists. One usage refers to a variety of a language that is a characteristic of a particular group of the language's speakers. The term is applied most often to regional speech patterns, but a dialect may also be defined by other factors,...
s, varies regionally.