Thieves Cant: The Secret Language Used By Criminals For Centuries
video description
Date: 2022-12-29
Related videos
Comments and reviews: 20
James
At the time, upper-class and poor street people essentially spoke different dialects of English. It seems likely to me that this all just originated from educated gentlemen running afoul of mocking ruffians using their normal street slang to confuse and otherwise mess with them.
For instance, if a high-class gentlemen found himself in an American slum during the '70s, the locals would probably take some entertainment from the fact that he didn't understand their jive. I could see him then going to his friends and excitedly filling them in on the strange and mysterious language he had discovered.
It's probably really just an intentionally-obtuse form of slang lingo like Cockney rhyming slang used for cultural identity and solidarity.
While possibly useful for crime, its real scope could have been exagerated by informants messing with the compilers, the later being overly fascinated and scandalized by simple street lingo, and sensationalist book marketing.
I mean, criminals always develope their own lingo to some degree, and the class seperation at the time basically made socially-distinct dialects unavoidable. So a pickpocket probably did have a vastly different and colorful vocabulary compared to his well-to-do victim. But the frankly fantastic and conspiratorial notion that their was a widespread and agreed-upon special language used especially for the purpose of crime is a bit silly. At least to the degree such books seem to imply.
The only similar things I can think of are the internal codes and sign languages used by modern street and prison gangs, but these are actually meant to be kept secret, are known to a small segment of the populace, and aren't something that members of the general public are going to run across and require a special dictionary so they can decipher. Unless you're a police officer or prison guard, you have no reason to know or care about such things. And a bunch of gangsters aren't going to ambush you on some street corner and use their special lingo to take advantage of you. Special code words aren't required.
reply
At the time, upper-class and poor street people essentially spoke different dialects of English. It seems likely to me that this all just originated from educated gentlemen running afoul of mocking ruffians using their normal street slang to confuse and otherwise mess with them.
For instance, if a high-class gentlemen found himself in an American slum during the '70s, the locals would probably take some entertainment from the fact that he didn't understand their jive. I could see him then going to his friends and excitedly filling them in on the strange and mysterious language he had discovered.
It's probably really just an intentionally-obtuse form of slang lingo like Cockney rhyming slang used for cultural identity and solidarity.
While possibly useful for crime, its real scope could have been exagerated by informants messing with the compilers, the later being overly fascinated and scandalized by simple street lingo, and sensationalist book marketing.
I mean, criminals always develope their own lingo to some degree, and the class seperation at the time basically made socially-distinct dialects unavoidable. So a pickpocket probably did have a vastly different and colorful vocabulary compared to his well-to-do victim. But the frankly fantastic and conspiratorial notion that their was a widespread and agreed-upon special language used especially for the purpose of crime is a bit silly. At least to the degree such books seem to imply.
The only similar things I can think of are the internal codes and sign languages used by modern street and prison gangs, but these are actually meant to be kept secret, are known to a small segment of the populace, and aren't something that members of the general public are going to run across and require a special dictionary so they can decipher. Unless you're a police officer or prison guard, you have no reason to know or care about such things. And a bunch of gangsters aren't going to ambush you on some street corner and use their special lingo to take advantage of you. Special code words aren't required.
reply
Goth
Also: .Some inmates will try anything to get contraband behind bars.
Re-he-he-heeeelly? You don't say? It's almost like it's because they have ABSOLUTELY NOTHING but TIME during the five-to-fifty years they're stuck in a system quite literally DEFINED by its shameless corruption with the sole priority of maintaining a ludicrously high recidivism rate, and equally well-known to be a miserable existence as legal slaves.
Since the threat of serving an eighth dime is basically like someone threatening to bring you back to life and kill you again, maybe the only thing that they have to look forward to other than the release of death is. I dunno. Contraband?
It's offhand and dismissive attitudes like that which encourage people to disregard our fellow citizens who have been needlessly, wrongfully, and/or hopelessly trapped in the distorted and over-bloated judicial system -destined to be nothing more than sub-human grease to maintain the wood chipper our government uses to gleefully mulch American lives while growing rich off the sales of slurry made from broken homes and destroyed families.
Just. Sayin'.
reply
Also: .Some inmates will try anything to get contraband behind bars.
Re-he-he-heeeelly? You don't say? It's almost like it's because they have ABSOLUTELY NOTHING but TIME during the five-to-fifty years they're stuck in a system quite literally DEFINED by its shameless corruption with the sole priority of maintaining a ludicrously high recidivism rate, and equally well-known to be a miserable existence as legal slaves.
Since the threat of serving an eighth dime is basically like someone threatening to bring you back to life and kill you again, maybe the only thing that they have to look forward to other than the release of death is. I dunno. Contraband?
It's offhand and dismissive attitudes like that which encourage people to disregard our fellow citizens who have been needlessly, wrongfully, and/or hopelessly trapped in the distorted and over-bloated judicial system -destined to be nothing more than sub-human grease to maintain the wood chipper our government uses to gleefully mulch American lives while growing rich off the sales of slurry made from broken homes and destroyed families.
Just. Sayin'.
reply
wallace
Not knowing what you were referring to, I immediately thought of the book You Can't Win by Jack Black (not todays actor. I said how thieves had their own way of speaking and how it sometimes made its way into common language without many understanding its origin. He used the example of having someone pegged and how that was not a reference to the game cribbage. It was a term that came from thieves that were casing a potential place to rob. They want to know as much about thier potential victims as possible. He explains it better and writes an amazing book but the thief, while learning the victims (possibly multiple) behaviors, they would put something (a peg) in the door so they would be able to know if activity has take place while the thief was away from the house. If he comes back, and the peg has moved, he knows that he needs to return and find out what is taking place during that time period. William S Burroughs explains a lot of things that are likely only known to junkies and old beatniks in the book Junky. Another highly recommended book that takes your hand and leads you through the subterranean.
reply
Not knowing what you were referring to, I immediately thought of the book You Can't Win by Jack Black (not todays actor. I said how thieves had their own way of speaking and how it sometimes made its way into common language without many understanding its origin. He used the example of having someone pegged and how that was not a reference to the game cribbage. It was a term that came from thieves that were casing a potential place to rob. They want to know as much about thier potential victims as possible. He explains it better and writes an amazing book but the thief, while learning the victims (possibly multiple) behaviors, they would put something (a peg) in the door so they would be able to know if activity has take place while the thief was away from the house. If he comes back, and the peg has moved, he knows that he needs to return and find out what is taking place during that time period. William S Burroughs explains a lot of things that are likely only known to junkies and old beatniks in the book Junky. Another highly recommended book that takes your hand and leads you through the subterranean.
reply
Satan
It's extremely happy to cook a nice dish because everyone loves the taste of bubblegum. You can start a new day with the cat talking very cheerfully about delicious presents from the sky. This is a common idea. And that's exciting because it leads to a whole new set of questions regarding the multi-phasic temporal convergence of logic chain realizations. The unmistakable sound lets everyone know you're second guessing the reality of a new type of massless cosmic object which projects energy waves of edible paper plates. No reservations about calling it a true classic. Its all being done for the sake of affirming the existence of coffee mugs. That's the good news here.
---Albert Einstein
reply
It's extremely happy to cook a nice dish because everyone loves the taste of bubblegum. You can start a new day with the cat talking very cheerfully about delicious presents from the sky. This is a common idea. And that's exciting because it leads to a whole new set of questions regarding the multi-phasic temporal convergence of logic chain realizations. The unmistakable sound lets everyone know you're second guessing the reality of a new type of massless cosmic object which projects energy waves of edible paper plates. No reservations about calling it a true classic. Its all being done for the sake of affirming the existence of coffee mugs. That's the good news here.
---Albert Einstein
reply
Indigo
Using the certain type of language, reminds me of hobos back in the days that would ride the rails as they call it, they often would draw pictures to let others know what was in the area or in a particular house. Also in the small town that I live in probably about 20 years ago there were vagrants. And these people took a vow of poverty they did not want to work. And they would do certavite the same thing hobos did but they would do it with rocks and whatever the design was would let other people similar to them know what to expect. So could language seems have been a big part of our history.
reply
Using the certain type of language, reminds me of hobos back in the days that would ride the rails as they call it, they often would draw pictures to let others know what was in the area or in a particular house. Also in the small town that I live in probably about 20 years ago there were vagrants. And these people took a vow of poverty they did not want to work. And they would do certavite the same thing hobos did but they would do it with rocks and whatever the design was would let other people similar to them know what to expect. So could language seems have been a big part of our history.
reply
Brian
A companion piece to this could be one on the cant named Polari which incorporates some of the thieves' cant. Most people use words from this lexicon every day without being aware of that fact but the cant has a history reaching back to the 16th century according to some writers. Used with Punch and Judy, it reached its zenith with the BBC radio program Julian and Sandy which ran from 1965 to 1968. Since then there have been scattered sightings of Polari the most recent I know of being the 2020 British made-for-TV film Roald & Beatrix: The Tail of the Curious Mouse.
reply
A companion piece to this could be one on the cant named Polari which incorporates some of the thieves' cant. Most people use words from this lexicon every day without being aware of that fact but the cant has a history reaching back to the 16th century according to some writers. Used with Punch and Judy, it reached its zenith with the BBC radio program Julian and Sandy which ran from 1965 to 1968. Since then there have been scattered sightings of Polari the most recent I know of being the 2020 British made-for-TV film Roald & Beatrix: The Tail of the Curious Mouse.
reply
Abdul
Spanian from Woolamaloo/ has spoken about a secret language that the Lads use in and out of prison in Sydney.
He even gives a demo so we can hear what it sounds like.
To me it sounded like a mix of Maori, Arabic, Suryoyo/Chaldean and other languages mixed together.
Apparantly it really rubbed the screws up the wrong way cause they couldnt crack the language being spoken by a few Lads.
reply
Spanian from Woolamaloo/ has spoken about a secret language that the Lads use in and out of prison in Sydney.
He even gives a demo so we can hear what it sounds like.
To me it sounded like a mix of Maori, Arabic, Suryoyo/Chaldean and other languages mixed together.
Apparantly it really rubbed the screws up the wrong way cause they couldnt crack the language being spoken by a few Lads.
reply
NubsWithGuns
Ironic, a minister crying that he was taken advantage of.
This whole story sounds like half misinterperated words and bs lol.
Before the kids get all excited and try to use this, remember when you do this over and over, it only creates a pattern and ends up being the thing that screwed you.
Whis is why the administration at that prison are not qualified for their jobs.
reply
Ironic, a minister crying that he was taken advantage of.
This whole story sounds like half misinterperated words and bs lol.
Before the kids get all excited and try to use this, remember when you do this over and over, it only creates a pattern and ends up being the thing that screwed you.
Whis is why the administration at that prison are not qualified for their jobs.
reply
Big
Cockney rhyming slang was said to have come about so that criminals could talk to each other without the police in London knowing what was being said. This came about because the would frequent pubs and such dressed in disguise so they could overhear conversations. some of you may know that a pub was a rubberdub. This would later be shortened to rubber.
reply
Cockney rhyming slang was said to have come about so that criminals could talk to each other without the police in London knowing what was being said. This came about because the would frequent pubs and such dressed in disguise so they could overhear conversations. some of you may know that a pub was a rubberdub. This would later be shortened to rubber.
reply
Yayoi
I think this is the same as Argot in France. I am reading an unabridged version of Victor Hugo's Les Miserables at the moment and he goes into some detail explaining it. My French is not good enough to read it in original language but even in the German translation it is very interesting.
reply
I think this is the same as Argot in France. I am reading an unabridged version of Victor Hugo's Les Miserables at the moment and he goes into some detail explaining it. My French is not good enough to read it in original language but even in the German translation it is very interesting.
reply
Adrea
I've heard that the modern word boss (the noun for employer, rather than protuberance) came from thieves cant. In Luther's book, boss was said to mean house. Therefore, the bossman was the guy who owned the manor - and who gave those who worked the land their orders.
reply
I've heard that the modern word boss (the noun for employer, rather than protuberance) came from thieves cant. In Luther's book, boss was said to mean house. Therefore, the bossman was the guy who owned the manor - and who gave those who worked the land their orders.
reply
Nothing2SeeHere
Could you please do a video about the symbols of the Hobo's during the depression? apprently they left symbols on mailbox posts or gate post that identified the family inside be it a nice family a mean man or food was good.
reply
Could you please do a video about the symbols of the Hobo's during the depression? apprently they left symbols on mailbox posts or gate post that identified the family inside be it a nice family a mean man or food was good.
reply
education
Those brits in 2009 would be super impressed with the code used in California prisons, then.
Them boys use a mixture of aztec and made-up carnival talk.
Oops first rule of thieves cant
reply
Those brits in 2009 would be super impressed with the code used in California prisons, then.
Them boys use a mixture of aztec and made-up carnival talk.
Oops first rule of thieves cant
reply
Je
my husband still thinks you sound like stephen colbert even though stephen himself mentioned that it's not him but that he's impressed with my husband's ability to discern tone and voice inflection.
reply
my husband still thinks you sound like stephen colbert even though stephen himself mentioned that it's not him but that he's impressed with my husband's ability to discern tone and voice inflection.
reply
Miss
So. skyrim?
Also the pigeon part. the tramp called lady pige for pigeon. that explains so much more to the movie. .hes tramp but they love him. and she was the one who fell for a con artist
reply
So. skyrim?
Also the pigeon part. the tramp called lady pige for pigeon. that explains so much more to the movie. .hes tramp but they love him. and she was the one who fell for a con artist
reply
AJ
If the top of my head, I'd say you're looking at a Boesky, a Jim Brown, a Miss Daisy, two Jethros, and a Leon Spinks, not to mention the biggest Ella Fitzgerald ever.
Ocean's 11
reply
If the top of my head, I'd say you're looking at a Boesky, a Jim Brown, a Miss Daisy, two Jethros, and a Leon Spinks, not to mention the biggest Ella Fitzgerald ever.
Ocean's 11
reply
devikwolf
Everyone should take a few levels of Rogue in their life. Unfortunately, contrary to what the rules say, you don't automatically learn Thieves' Cant when you get first level
reply
Everyone should take a few levels of Rogue in their life. Unfortunately, contrary to what the rules say, you don't automatically learn Thieves' Cant when you get first level
reply
BarebackBarbarians
The homeless have a secret language as well that are written on walls in different cities telling themselves which areas are good to setup camp and such etc
reply
The homeless have a secret language as well that are written on walls in different cities telling themselves which areas are good to setup camp and such etc
reply
shannen
The bargoens (the thieving language) was used allot here in Belgium. My favourite still in use word is Ribbedebie, it means to run away/ to leave: )
reply
The bargoens (the thieving language) was used allot here in Belgium. My favourite still in use word is Ribbedebie, it means to run away/ to leave: )
reply
Edmond
Imagine a secret society of rogues operating in plain sight using codewords to plan elaborate felonies and hoaxes. lol no that's called Congress
reply
Imagine a secret society of rogues operating in plain sight using codewords to plan elaborate felonies and hoaxes. lol no that's called Congress
reply
Add a review, comment
Other channel videos
