Thread: Looking for a slang word

Could somebody give me a thieves' word or expression which means "to stay on guard while other is robbing". Trying to translate from Russian "стоять на шухере".

Спасибо большое за помощь!!!

I think there was a question kind of similar... check this:

http://masterrussian.net/mforum/viewtopic.php?t=11112

Wow. What an amazingly freakish coincidence

I know! I am in utter and complete bewilderment!!! But I don't really know if any of those suggestions tickles your feet for "стоять на шухере"

Originally Posted by kalinka_vinnie

I know! I am in utter and complete bewilderment!!! But I don't really know if any of those suggestions tickles your feet for "стоять на шухере"

Ugh! Frustration!

When in doubt... write or say in simple, easy English. Don't try to make your English sentences so complex!

KV... I gave you several variations to work with in my previous post... including "prison/crime" language.

Stephen King, is a brilliant writer, and his English is very easy and simple, especially about crime. So is Lawrence Block, a brilliant American crime and mystery author. Easy and simple English.

"Стоять на шухере" is colloquial Russian, and metaphorical... English-speakers will not understand a direct translation...

BUT!!!...

Use "stoolie" or "lookout" or "eyes"... if you're stuck and confused... these are nouns that match exactly what you (KV) and Gerty are asking for... and they are common and understood by English-speakers... why do you want to use or find a difficult, uncommon rare synonym, for something so simple??

Well, dobry, if that is your real name, it has to fit with the context. We need something that sounds ironic, because her friend is a criminal and she isn't... I just thought that there was a direct translation that I just couldn't remember (or haven't heard), but it seems like it is a mutual thing!

To be on the lookout

Also: to be holdin' jiggers/ to hold jiggers
http://members.tripod.com/catchout/dictionary/DICT.html

From Texas prison slang dictionary:

JIGGERS: (holdin'); When a person is watching an area to warn others of someone coming, or if an inmate is watching items very closely for an officer to prevent other inmates from getting more than their entitled portion, this is referred to as "Holdin' jiggers."

Originally Posted by kalinka_vinnie

Well, dobry, if that is your real name, it has to fit with the context. We need something that sounds ironic, because her friend is a criminal and she isn't... I just thought that there was a direct translation that I just couldn't remember (or haven't heard), but it seems like it is a mutual thing!

I understand. I tried to give you my best advice, based on my experience as a professor, writer and editor.

If you are writing this story, to be read by many people, and you include a word or phrase that is unknown, very uncommon, then many of your readers will be confused... the meaning will be lost. This is the point I was trying to make. Based on your description, I still think "lookout" or "eyes" is the closest to what you want. Is your story satire... serious crime drama... maybe some humor? I would call this the 'tone' of the story... for example:

Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels... funny crime story...

Or

Страна глухих (Country of the Deaf) ... serious and tragic crime drama.

This is the "context" you write of... and your English writing needs to show the tone, if possible.

This is why I mentioned the American crime author Lawrence Block... he switches very easily, smoothly between serious tone, and comic/funny tone. He is a master crime-fiction author, and I was very lucky...he was one of my teachers. His Bernie Rhodenbarr crime-stories have much humor, while his Matthew Scudder stories are dark and serious. He's a very skilled writer.

With respect to Charlestonian, I would not use "jiggers"... I've worked around prisons and I've never heard that word used. It may be a Texas slang... the problem is that most English-readers will not understand what you are writing if you use "jiggers". Jiggers normally refer to 1-ounce glasses used in bartending, to make cocktails. This is what most of your English-readers will probably think.

I just thought of another, older slang word... "the nose"... old Italian mafia slang for a guy that can "sniff" or "smell" trouble coming.
"She was our unknowing nose for the heist."

I'm just trying to help you, KV... please don't be offended ... and no, my real name is not Dobry, but this is the name I have used for many years, on several forums... and in MMORPG's such as Lineage II (I play alot with a Russian role-playing Guild), and World of Warcraft.

My real name is Kyle... it is a very old Celtic/Irish name. I don't know why you questioned my name... but there it is.

Originally Posted by Dobry

Originally Posted by kalinka_vinnie

Well, dobry, if that is your real name, it has to fit with the context. We need something that sounds ironic, because her friend is a criminal and she isn't... I just thought that there was a direct translation that I just couldn't remember (or haven't heard), but it seems like it is a mutual thing!

I understand. I tried to give you my best advice, based on my experience as a professor, writer and editor.

If you are writing this story, to be read by many people, and you include a word or phrase that is unknown, very uncommon, then many of your readers will be confused... the meaning will be lost. This is the point I was trying to make. Based on your description, I still think "lookout" or "eyes" is the closest to what you want. Is your story satire... serious crime drama... maybe some humor? I would call this the 'tone' of the story...

for example:

Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels... funny crime story...

Or

Страна глухих (Country of the Deaf) ... serious and tragic crime drama.

This is the "context" you write of... and your English writing needs to show the tone, if possible.

This is why I mentioned the American crime author Lawrence Block... he switches very easily, smoothly between serious tone, and comic/funny tone. He is a master crime-fiction author, and I was very lucky...he was one of my teachers. His Bernie Rhodenbarr crime-stories have much humor, while his Matthew Scudder stories are dark and serious. He's a very skilled writer.

With respect to Charlestonian, I would not use "jiggers"... I've worked around prisons and I've never heard that word used. It may be a Texas slang... the problem is that most English-readers will not understand what you are writing if you use "jiggers". Jiggers normally refer to 1-ounce glasses used in bartending, to make cocktails. This is what most of your English-readers will probably think.

I just thought of another, older slang word... "the nose"... old Italian mafia slang for a guy that can "sniff" or "smell" trouble coming.
"She was our unknowing nose for the heist."

I'm just trying to help you, KV... please don't be offended ... and no, my real name is not Dobry, but this is the name I have used for many years, on several forums... and in MMORPG's such as Lineage II (I play alot with a Russian role-playing Guild), and World of Warcraft.

My real name is Kyle... it is a very old Celtic/Irish name. I don't know why you questioned my name... but there it is.

You (Dobry) said "It may be a Texas slang..." Well yes it is a Texas prison slang, and I did provide the reference. I did not claim it to be anything else. My first choice is "To be on the lookout."

Originally Posted by charlestonian

You (Dobry) said "It may be a Texas slang..." Well yes it is a Texas prison slang, and I did provide the reference. I did not claim it to be anything else. My first choice is "To be on the lookout."

Yep, and I meant nothing by my comment, other than that I want KV's language and slang-use to be understandable to his readers, including English-learners. No problem... and I appreciate your research... I learned a new slang phrase.

I agree with your suggestion, "to be on the lookout" as probably the best choice.

Now, it's KV's choice, as the writer, to decide.

Thanks y'all, we actually contemplated "to be holdin' jiggers", but I thought it wouldn't be well understood by the broad public. I had at least never heard of it...

"To be on the lookout" doesn't cut it, because it is too widely used and isn't really jailspeak... not colorful enough. We are looking for a colorful expression that a criminal would say and that would be understandable for the rest of us...

Maybe we will have to revisit these two... I don't see any alternatives...

Do people understand what "holdin' jiggers" mean? If that is so, I owe Gerty an apology...

Here is the context: As the cell doors can’t be locked from either the inside or the outside, it was enough to drag a bed from an empty room. Something Vovan managed while I was standing in the corridor on watch, or as Vovan expressed: “*sigh*”.

See why "on the lookout" doesn't work?

Originally Posted by kalinka_vinnie

Thanks y'all, we actually contemplated "to be holdin' jiggers", but I thought it wouldn't be well understood by the broad public. I had at least never heard of it...

"To be on the lookout" doesn't cut it, because it is too widely used and isn't really jailspeak... not colorful enough. We are looking for a colorful expression that a criminal would say and that would be understandable for the rest of us...

Maybe we will have to revisit these two... I don't see any alternatives...

Do people understand what "holdin' jiggers" mean? If that is so, I owe Gerty an apology...

Here is the context: As the cell doors can’t be locked from either the inside or the outside, it was enough to drag a bed from an empty room. Something Vovan managed while I was standing in the corridor on watch, or as Vovan expressed: “*sigh*”.

See why "on the lookout" doesn't work?

No... 95% of English-speakers will not understand what "holdin' jiggers" means. It's not common prison-speak, and will not be understood... read the previous posts between Charlestonian and myself. Many prisons construct their own code-language/slang that will not be understood in other prisons, in other parts of the U.S. or other English-countries.

Clarify... the cell-doors can't be locked?? Prison?
I understand your narrator is watching, and she is innocent?

I understand better now... we are focusing in closer on the story... good!

No, "holdin' jiggers" wouldn't work in that context. Let me 'sleep on it tonight' and try to think of more ideas. No worries, KV, we'll help.

Just no lap dances, o.k.

Originally Posted by kalinka_vinnie

Thanks y'all, we actually contemplated "to be holdin' jiggers", but I thought it wouldn't be well understood by the broad public. I had at least never heard of it...

"To be on the lookout" doesn't cut it, because it is too widely used and isn't really jailspeak... not colorful enough. We are looking for a colorful expression that a criminal would say and that would be understandable for the rest of us...

Maybe we will have to revisit these two... I don't see any alternatives...

Do people understand what "holdin' jiggers" mean? If that is so, I owe Gerty an apology...

Here is the context: As the cell doors can’t be locked from either the inside or the outside, it was enough to drag a bed from an empty room. Something Vovan managed while I was standing in the corridor on watch, or as Vovan expressed: “*sigh*”.

See why "on the lookout" doesn't work?

"Y'all?" Are you also from the South? Where at?

Well, I don't want to give away the plot, but no, not prison cells. It doesn't really matter, though

I tried to put "sleep on it tonight", but that didn't fit either!

Originally Posted by charlestonian

"Y'all?" Are you also from the South? Where at?

Nope, I am from the West I just was inspired by a question I just received from a Russian: "WTF does 'howdy y'all' mean????"

Originally Posted by kalinka_vinnie

Originally Posted by charlestonian

"Y'all?" Are you also from the South? Where at?

Nope, I am from the West I just was inspired by a question I just received from a Russian: "WTF does 'howdy y'all' mean????"

KV,

Why was I thinking you were from Russia?? Jeez, I'm really clueless!

I think you can put there any colorful phrase you like even if it's not wide known, because it's obvious what you mean from the rest of the sentence.

Originally Posted by kalinka_vinnie

Well, I don't want to give away the plot, but no, not prison cells. It doesn't really matter, though

I tried to put "sleep on it tonight", but that didn't fit either!

I assume you're joking... but I meant "let me think on it tonight."

And don't worry about giving away part of the plot, if it helps us help you... your story is protected under U.S. Copyright laws. This is part of my business.

Well, no. I can't say: "I stood on watch, or like Vovan said: 'hooola booola! muga muga wuga wuga!!!'"

The readers would think: ???????????

BTW: Here is the original russian:
пока я стояла в коридоре на страже, или как он сам выразился «на стреме»

Originally Posted by Dobry

Originally Posted by kalinka_vinnie

Well, I don't want to give away the plot, but no, not prison cells. It doesn't really matter, though

I tried to put "sleep on it tonight", but that didn't fit either!

I assume you're joking... but I meant "let me think on it tonight."

Ohhh reeeeaallllyyyyy!

Originally Posted by Dobry

And don't worry about giving away part of the plot, if it helps us help you... your story is protected under U.S. Copyright laws. This is part of my business.

Jeez, professor, writer, editor, copyright protector, what aren't you?