Life in Sing Sing - Tapa blanda

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1904 Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XIII SLANG AMONG CONVICTS The use of slang by convicts is very general and is usually for decorative effect rather than for the purpose of concealing from those who may overhear it the meaning of their conversation. It would in fact be valueless for them to use it for that purpose as the guards are as apt with it as the convicts themselves. The possession and management of a large vocabulary of slang is, however, an acquirement of which its possessor is very proud. It is his one literary accomplishment, and he never fails to display and cultivate it at all times. In listening to a company of prisoners it can be observed that if a new word be spoken whose meaning is only revealed by its context, no sign will be given nor inquiry be made as to its origin or signification. It is simply adopted in silence and assimulated into their speech. In this way the list of slang words is always increasing--the only apparent test of admission being that the word in sound must have some relation to the sense it is intended to convey. But this is perhaps approximately true of all slang. Thieves' slang is very catholic and does not hesitate to accept words from whatever source, so that the field of argot overlaps others. There are, however, many words that are distinctively the possession of the thief and convict, whose use would be applicable to no other condition than his. I made up a list of these as they came to my notice, and it is perhaps the mpst complete dictionary of thieves' slang in active service that has ever been made. I have asked professional thieves why they adopted a form of speech which, being overheard by another, would certainly direct suspicion to them, if it did not give rise to active police attention. They replied that its use will not be obs...