How secret languages thrive behind bars

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By Elizabeth Flock 1comments Share How secret languages thrive behind bars

Arts Jun 3, 2019 6:43 PM EDT Updated on Jun 4, 2019 2:00 PM EDT On a now-private Facebook page, a prison guard in Texas casually joked last month about wanting to gas prisoners (throw urine or feces at them). Others in Georgia and Missouri posted about putting inmates in the box or the hole (slang for sending them to disciplinary confinement).

The incident, which was revealed by local journalists, led to prison officials promising disciplinary measures, up to termination, for the guards. But it also provided a rare window into the language that grows behind prisons walls, as well as the prison culture of casual violence one reason that this vernacular exists.

Prison language, or language created by inmates while incarcerated, has a long and vivid history, and is likely as old as the modern prison itself. It can alternately can be described as prison slang (informal talk), cant (a secret language), or argot (jargon of a certain group).

Prison is quite a fertile place for a language to develop. Youve got a literally captive audience and a very dense social network. Julie Coleman, a linguist who has studied 17th century prison dictionaries published in the United Kingdom, known as the birthplace of modern imprisonment, said it makes sense that new communication sprang up in prison.

Its quite a fertile place for a language to develop. Youve got a literally captive audience and a very dense social network, she said. People reinforce each others language.

From the beginning, people outside prisons sensationalized the language being created inside. Coleman said the prison slang dictionaries she studied were largely salacious, designed to sell as many copies as possible, and presented as useful tools for ordinary people to understand what criminals, such as street thieves, were secretly saying about them.

Coleman said the idea that people could learn that language was probably nonsense, because the language was quite a fluid thing, and would change all the time.

Today, prison slang is still being created and used and still regularly shifting. Some 6.6 million people are currently incarcerated in the United States, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics. Though that number has fallen in recent years, the U.S. continues to incarcerate more of its population than any country in the world.

Todays inmates and researchers said their created words and phrases can be used to describe almost anything: crime and contraband, roles and status within the prison, or just the ordinary details of a persons life. The lingo varies according to the prisons geographic area and particular demographics. How quickly the words shift depends on the transience of the population.

And prison is one of the few places today that language is actually being created, according to linguist and artist Lena Herzog, who has studied the disappearance of languages around the world. While these languages are like temporary bubbles, she said, because they shift so quickly, they are fascinating because they gives us a picture of the variousness of human minds, how capable it is to redefine things.

Yet most people on the outside still dont understand it as a creative and complex example of communication, perhaps because they get their ideas about prison slang from movies or novels. Many people wrongly assume that prison language reflects the criminality and intellectual poverty of the speaker, Patrick Ellis wrote in a 2005 publication for the University of Toronto. In fact, he found the opposite was true.

Prison argot is remarkably inventive and covers a considerable scope of subjects, he wrote. Moreover, it is used deliberately and not, as the old canard went, because the speaker could not master the received, guard-sanctioned lexicon. Indeed, the use of newly created lingo can be a way of avoiding the guards altogether.

Talking in code

In 2006, former inmate Randy Kearse published a book called Street Talk: Da Official Guide to Hip-Hop and Urban Slanguage, a dictionary of unique words and phrases hed collected during his time in prison. When Kearse started the project, he assumed hed gather about a thousand terms. In the end, he had some 10,000 entries. Kearse said his motivation to publish the book was to both correct and expand how people perceived street and/or prison slang, which share many similarities.

I decided to write a book because at that point, in the mid-90s, hip-hop and street culture was so dominant in mainstream media, it had crossed over, and certain words would be picked up and repeated through marketing, he said. And I was like, theres much more to the street language than what you might hear in the media and records. So I thought society or the mainstream needs to know this is a real language and the way we communicate.

Among his entries: kick rocks means to dismiss; busted means moneyless; assed out means in trouble, and peoplez indicates your loved ones.

Language is created for many reasons within prison, Kearse said, but one important reason is to fool the guards, or to keep them from knowing whats going on among inmates. Sometimes, this can be a humorous pursuit. Other times, its a matter of life or death.

Kearse sees parallels with the slave trade. Black people had to talk amongst themselves to keep slave masters from knowing that they knew English, and keep masters from knowing that they were communicating among themselves, he said. So you talk in code.

Just because were talking about things people dont understand, doesnt mean Im talking about you or up to no good. That code can be just as imperative in prison, where mistreatment and abuse of inmates have a long and well-documented history. Sometimes, evasion is required for the simplest of the reasons, said Bruce Reilly, deputy director of VOTE, a grassroots group run by formerly incarcerated people, and who was formerly incarcerated himself.

It might be about getting a magazine or a soup because the rules and regulations are so oppressive, said Reilly. Personally, Ive gone to the hole for getting a somebody a soup.

While in prison, Reilly said, he noticed something interesting: English-speaking guards were more paranoid about Spanish-speaking inmates because they couldnt understand what was being said. They would worry that these inmates were talking about something dangerous, such as a drug deal, when Reilly said instead people were usually discussing something completely mundane, like their sisters upcoming wedding, or a new music album. Talking in slang or another language is often done simply to protect a persons privacy, he added, something not often available in prison.

Just because were talking about things people dont understand, doesnt mean Im talking about you or up to no good, Reilly said. All weve got is telling our stories.

The funny guy will go a long way

In the 1970s, Washington State Penitentiary superintendent and sociologist Robert A. Freeman found something surprising when collecting slang expressions used by inmates: many of the created phrases rhymed with their meaning. Ripsy rousers, for example, was the phrase for trousers, while two by four meant door.

According to Julian Franklyns A Dictionary of Rhyming Slang, published in 1960, rhyming slang words such as these can be traced back to the banter between cockney laborers and Irishmen in the 19th century. Franklyn writes that it would start with the Irishman telling long, tall stories, of which he is the hero, and then the Cockney capping them with brisk comment, and the assumption of metropolitan superiority. Like any good banter, it was playful, intelligent and witty. And it often reflected a jockeying of roles.

The funny guy will go a long way in prison. Today, Reilly said, that same dynamic exists in communication among inmates, and sometimes guards too, many of whom learn the language.

The funny guy will go a long way in prison, Reilly said. Words are your cachet in some sense.

Both he and Kearse described prison language as an extension of hip-hop, sharing some of the same words and being similarly stylized and creative. Its that same spirit, same desire to play with words, said Reilly. Theres so much creativity in there, and wit.

He cited the Tupac Shakurs album Me Against the World, which the rapper wrote from prison.

Being creative is one thing that oppressed people have done throughout history, whether its a creative way to get food, or just to express oneself, Reilly said.

A changing conversation

Today, the global prison population continues to grow, with more than 10.5 million people in penal institutions around the world, according to a 2016 report by the Institute for Criminal Research Policy at Birkbeck, University of London. At the same time, the prison reform movement has gained steam, along with public awareness of inhumane conditions in prison, including violence, sexual abuse, overcrowding, lack of adequate medical care, and more.

Meanwhile, researchers appear to be making a greater effort to hear directly from inmates about languages created and used within prisons. For example, a 2018 study from Poland used online prison glossaries, published by both former inmates and correctional officers, as its data set. The studys conclusion? Prison slang may be concise, but it is often rich in meaning.

Dictionaries such as these are becoming more common; in 2015, for example, prisoners at the Eastern Reception Diagnostic and Corrections Center in Bonne Terre, Missouri, created a dictionary of the slang specific to their institution.

In a 2010 study of HM Prison Winchester in the U.K., researchers staged a conversation directly with six prisoners, two officers and a university professor, in which the prisoners were asked for their observations about prison language. In that discussion, inmates pushed back on a number of researchers prior findings about prison lingo, such as that it was key to avoiding violence behind bars. Like Reilly and Kearse, these inmates argued that it was more about wit and expression.

Perhaps the most wide-reaching window into prison life today is the popular podcast, Ear Hustle, which is created by former and current inmates of San Quentin State Prison in California. The show depicts what prison is really like for those on the inside, for those on the outside. The podcasts name comes from prison slang for eavesdropping, or being nosy. Except in this case, its a welcome thing.

Kearse, who was released from prison in 2005, said that despite how quickly prison language can shift, God forbid, if I was to go back today, I wouldnt be lost in understanding it. Whats changed instead, Kearse said, is the wider discussion around prisons.

When I was in prison there was no talk of criminal justice reform, no focus on rehabilitation, reentry, anything like that. Over the last 10 years theres been a shift at how people look at criminal justice and mass incarceration, and at the prisoners themselves, Kearse said. Related How states are slowly getting rid of the death penalty By Gretchen Frazee Go Deeper languages prison languages By Elizabeth Flock Elizabeth Flock is a reporter and producer for the NewsHour. She can be reached at eflock@newshour.org

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LISTEN SEASON 1 SEASON 2 SEASON 3 SEASON 4 TRANSCRIPTS SEASON 4

EPISODE 27: EXCUSE ME ON THE TIER Jun 5, 2019 In the Reception Center at San Quentin, guys learn the prison ropes while waiting to find out where theyll serve time. Read More

SEASON FOUR PREVIEW May 29, 2019 Ear Hustle is back with season four, starting June 5. Read More SEASON 3

BONUS: ROAD TRIP Jan 16, 2019 Bonus episode! Earlonnes out, and the crew drives to Sacramento to interview the man who made that happen: Governor Jerry Brown. Read More

P.S. ASKING AND GIVING Dec 17, 2018 Earlonne meets a fan, Quentin Blue strikes a chord and one last Radiotopia plug. Read More

EPISODE 26: BITTERSWEET Dec 12, 2018 In prison, lifes major milestones usually pass at a distance. Read More

BIG NEWS: IT'S TIME Nov 24, 2018 Earlonne and Nigel got some big news yesterday, from the office of California Governor Jerry Brown. Read More

EPISODE 25: PRIME REAL ESTATE Nov 21, 2018 Stories of romance, dating and playing the field from prison. Read More

EPISODE 24: THE BIG NO NO Nov 8, 2018 When youre incarcerated, falling in love with prison staff or volunteers is prohibited. But it happens. Read More

EPISODE 23: CATCH A KITE 3 Oct 24, 2018 Ear Hustle responds to a gang of questions from listeners about daily life in San Quentin. Read More

EPISODE 22: THIS PLACE Oct 10, 2018 Built in 1852, San Quentin has its own story to tell. Read More

EPISODE 21: FUTURE ON ICE Sep 26, 2018 Being an immigrant in an American prison can pose unique challenges. Read More

EPISODE 20: BIRDBATHS AND A LOCKBOX Sep 12, 2018 On the heels of a summer lockdown, season three of Ear Hustle launches with an episode about... lockdowns. Read More

SEASON 3 PREVIEW Sep 5, 2018 Ear Hustle is back September 12! In the meantime, enjoy this preview of season three. Read More SEASON 2

EPISODE 19: SO LONG Jun 20, 2018 Leaving an organization or community often calls for an exit strategy even in prison. Read More

EPISODE 18: DOWN LOW Jun 6, 2018 Inside San Quentin, if youre gay you hide it, but if youre trans you cant hide it. In this episode, we dive into what it's like to be LGBTQ in prison. Read More

EPISODE 17: THE ROW May 23, 2018 Death row is almost like a prison within a prison. Read More

EPISODE 16: CATCH A KITE 2 May 9, 2018 You've asked (via postcard) and we have answers! Read More

EPISODE 15: THICK GLASS Apr 25, 2018 Parenting is never easy, but from prison it's especially challenging. Read More

EPISODE 14: THE WORKAROUND Apr 11, 2018 Looking good and feeling good matters just as much on the inside, as on the outside. Read More

EPISODE 13: DIRTY WATER Mar 28, 2018 Sex trafficking crimes are hard to talk about. In this episode, Sara and LA share their individual experiences of being in the life. Read More

EPISODE 12: FIRSTS Mar 14, 2018 Firsts in prison can be especially memorable. Read More

SEASON 2 PREVIEW Feb 28, 2018 Ear Hustle is back March 14!To tide you over until then, here's a taste of season two. Read More SEASON 1

EPISODE 11: BONUS: SONGS FROM S1 Dec 20, 2017 Just in time for the holidays!Meet some of the musicians of San Quentin, whose songs were featured in season one of Ear Hustle. Read More

EPISODE 10: GETTING A DATE Oct 25, 2017 There are only a few ways to leave prison: serve your time, get out early on parole... or escape. Read More

EPISODE 9: GOLD COATS AND OGS Oct 11, 2017 Dealing with aging and death is never easy. In prison, it's especially challenging. Read More

EPISODE 8: LEFT BEHIND Sep 27, 2017 How do inmates with profoundly long sentences cope with their realities, and maintain a sense of hope and well-being as the years pass? Read More

EPISODE 7: UNWRITTEN Sep 13, 2017 The color of your skin influences your life in prison, from sharing food to celebrating birthdays. Read More

EPISODE 6: THE BOOM BOOM ROOM Aug 30, 2017 Being married in prison is common. Opportunities to get intimate with your spouse are not. Read More

EPISODE 5: CATCH A KITE Aug 9, 2017 Earlonne and Nigel answer questions mailed in via postcard, aka "kites," from listeners around the world. Read More

EPISODE 4: THE SHU Jul 26, 2017 The hole, the box, solitary confinement stories from four men who spent years by themselves in prison. Read More

EPISODE 3: LOOKING OUT Jul 12, 2017 Meet Rauch, a man incarcerated at San Quentin who has figured out how to look out for dozens of critters around the place. Read More

EPISODE 2: MISGUIDED LOYALTY Jun 28, 2017 While the perceived thrill and glamour of gang life are often too strong to resist, the hard consequences of this seduction can last a lifetime. Read More

EPISODE 1: CELLIES Jun 14, 2017 Finding a roommate can be tough. Finding someone to share a 4' x 9'space with is a whole 'nother story. Read More

THIS IS EAR HUSTLE. May 28, 2017 Meet theEar Hustleteam, get a taste for what the show sounds like and hear about what's to come in season one. Read More SUBSCRIBE

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