A frantic, rapid and high-speed pace of life, the desire to save money in everything, always and everywhere. In our life, such a phenomenon in the Russian language as abbreviations has become firmly established. What it is? An abbreviation is a special set of characters that is formed by abbreviating a word or phrase using the first letters, syllables or parts of words and even sounds included in the name of an object or phenomenon. In simple life, you often need to save space and time. Therefore, people start using simple abbreviations, which become frequently used. These can be condensed phrases or words.
History of abbreviations
The history of the emergence and formation of such a linguistic phenomenon as abbreviations dates back to ancient times with the advent of written language. All peoples who knew how to write used abbreviations. Saving space on material (papyrus, birch bark, ceramic tiles) and speed of writing text were important for scribes. Antiquity began to develop the use of abbreviations in inscriptions on buildings, and then in manuscripts.
The Romans often abbreviated proper names, and then also official words, for example, cos. — consul. The Greeks began to use abbreviations similar to the Romans in their papyri and coin inscriptions. This phenomenon became widespread with the reduction of units of measurement and weight.
Thanks to the development of Roman jurisprudence, a set and system of rules for abbreviations were compiled. It was they who later began to be used in the medieval era. “Tironian badges” is one of the most famous systems, which is the basis of Roman rapid writing - tachygraphy. These marks, not without the Latin language, went further into the Middle Ages, where they were also used in manuscripts and coin inscriptions, charters.
Then Greek and Latin letters began to be used in words. And thanks to this, special signs appeared for shortening syllables, as well as not only double consonants, but also vowels. The first to use the method of abbreviating a word by its initial letters were the Greeks, from whom the Romans adopted it. The most widespread abbreviations are in the legal, medical and theological spheres.
Cat is an abbreviation for prison. Boss acronym for prison
This is not quite a dictionary, but also not quite a list of “slang” words, of which there are so many on the Internet. Here are just some words from thieves' jargon. Words that have a different meaning in prison jargon than in the general spoken language are marked with the letter “t”, professional slang of employees of correctional institutions and operational services of internal affairs bodies (UR, BEP, BOP, NON) – with the letter “s”, official terms and abbreviations - the letter “o”.
Authority
(t) – a representative of the highest group in the informal hierarchy of prisoners.
The informal order operating in the zone is extremely authoritarian in nature, therefore the real situation that develops in the shadow life of a correctional institution, pre-trial detention center or part thereof (cell, PKT, punishment cell, etc.) is determined by the personal qualities of the authorities in power
and the presence of connections with
the authorities
in will or in other ITUs, as well as the tactics followed by local emergency services workers.
In general spoken Russian, the word authority is more often used in the meaning of “influence”, and is contrasted in meaning to the word “power”, but does not complement it. Power exists in the space of formal structures, influencing people through a system of statuses, prestige, positions, and sanctions. Most people submit to authority voluntarily.
Authoritative
(t) – a prisoner who has a high status in one of two groups (suits) of the informal hierarchy of prisoners: thieves and muzhiks. Not used in relation to representatives of such informal groups as goats, devils, omitted ones.
Jamb
(t) – 1) Violation of rules and regulations of prison law; 2) Armband of a member of the SPP or other section with the corresponding abbreviation. Most often blue; 3) Unsuccessful action or deed; 4) Cigarette or rolled-up cigarette with marijuana.
Kosyachny
(t) – a person who constantly commits actions that contradict generally accepted norms in the prisoner community.
Red zone
- a zone where the administration rules with the help of goats and, regardless of
the prison law
, for example, tries to seat those sent down in the canteen at common tables, requires that prisoners walk in formation to and from the canteen, prohibits movement around the
zone,
entry into other people’s barracks and etc. In such a zone, activists have broad powers and can behave very aggressively; surveillance of each other, denunciation, and petty quibbles about the behavior and clothing of prisoners are encouraged.
Red
(t) is a euphemism for the word goat
.
Circle
– education is broader than family or kentovka; formed most often according to the principle of fraternity.
Wing (put on wing)
– a bandage on the sleeve, meaning the prisoner’s entry into
the active
, i.e., in prison jargon, into
the goats
.
Covered
(t, s) – a prison-type correctional facility for those convicted of serious crimes or sent to prison by court order from the
correctional facility
for systematic violations of the detention regime.
Ksiva
(t) – 1) Note, letter.
It is transferred illegally from cell to cell, from camp to camp, from prison to freedom and vice versa. Often contains important information about events and persons, sometimes - instructions from authorities. ksivs of
purely personal content.
Constant communication between camps and prisons scattered throughout the country is carried out using XIV
.
Synonym – little one, little one
; 2) Doc
www.yuriste.ru
Prison abbreviations as a separate large significant group
Prison jargon (also called criminal, thieves' or thieves', or even more correctly called "argo") is a special dialect that arose on social grounds in a criminal environment. The emerging language system, which included special terms and expressions to identify members of a criminal community, was contrasted with the language system of a law-abiding society.
One of the main purposes of prison slang is to make it difficult for ordinary people, called the uninitiated, to understand the meaning of what is said between declassed elements. Prison abbreviations (thieves' abbreviations, in the form of tattoos) served as one of the main and effective tools for achieving this goal. Let's look at the types of abbreviations. They are different - alphabetic, syllabic, sound, semantic, etc. The typology of abbreviations is huge and specific.
In the largest division they are divided into initiative and syllabic. Each of these groups contains its own subgroups. Let's look at each of them using prison jargon abbreviations.
Classification into groups, prison tattoos
Prison tattoos for criminals can be roughly divided into three groups, according to their affiliation. The first group is thieves in law. No, these are not people who steal for a living. This is the elite, the highest rank in the criminal world.
To receive this title, it was necessary to have recommendations from other thieves in law or well-known authorities; a meeting (“skhodnyak”) was held, which was attended by all the thieves located in a given camp, prison or region. If everyone agreed, then the candidate became a thief in law.
Prison tattoos, thief in law
This category has its own group of tattoos that only they can do. No, of course, anyone can do it, but if you end up with these tattoos in a zone or prison and cannot confirm that you belong to the chosen caste, then first they will “tighten” you (beat you up), and then they will force you to remove them, and how you will do this is already your problems.
The next and largest group is the thieves, but they do not call themselves that:
- "prisoners"
- "bros"
- "tramps"
- "tramps"
- "traveling"
Here are the most common replacements for the word “blatnoy”.
People who support prison laws live “according to principles,” the administration calls them “deniers.” This group can include not only thieves, but anyone who actively resists, for example, for refusing to do work; there are simply types of work that only “thieves” can perform.
The thieves have two restrictions on tattoos: thieves, unless you are a thief in law, and tattoos of “lowered” tattoos, which no one would “get” in their right mind anyway.
Goats are prisoners who cooperate with the camp administration, occupying any position:
- librarian
- club manager
- caretaker, etc.
Roosters are “low-down”, “offended”, “faggots”. A group of untouchable outcasts, they also include passive homosexuals. There is also a subgroup, let’s say, “devils”, “chushki” - they are simply untouchable, they are not used as homosexuals.
This group is given tattoos by force, a kind of brand, so that everyone knows that they are untouchable.
Initial abbreviations
The first type of abbreviation in this group is a letter abbreviation, which is read as the letters are called in the alphabet.
Examples: AA - "hell's angel", PVA - "I despise your asset."
The second type of abbreviation is sound. It is acrophonetic. The principle of its construction is such that the first letters of the constituent words are also taken, but they are read not by alphabetical name, but as a single word.
Examples: GORN - “the state has doomed (to) slaves forever”, DNO - “let us rest a little”, “let us catch our breath”.
The letter-sound abbreviation combines the two listed above. That is, it includes both alphabetical names of letters and their mergers into words. Such abbreviations are not represented in prison jargon.
Backronyms create a special group. These are abbreviations that are created from an existing abbreviation. There are many such examples among prison abbreviations. Example: GOD, CAT, CROSS, SWANS, SUMMER, SKY, DAD, LIGHT.
There are also recursive abbreviations. This is a type of abbreviation that includes in its decoding not only words, but also the abbreviation itself. For clarity, here's an example: PHP - PHP Hypertext Preprocessor. There are no recursive abbreviations in prison acronyms.
What exactly should you not inject?
Tattoo of a “rooster” (passive pederast), so as not to be confused with normal prisoners, identification marks are forcibly applied to them.
Another tattoo for the untouchables is the parachute, which is also applied by force.
362. Passive homosexual. In the jargon - “mashka”, “rooster”, “comb”, “cocksucker”, “blue”, “daisy”, “pig”. Apply to the back.
363. Tattoo of someone who was born an active - passive pederast, an authority among homosexuals, capable of all forms of debauchery.
364, 369, 370. Tattoos of passive pederasts.
365. Occurs in “sexually preoccupied” people, that is, rapists. Apply to the thigh, stomach.
366. A very old tattoo of a passive bugger.
367. Title “King of all stripes”, a passive pederast by nature is capable of all forms of debauchery.
368. Youth.
Tattoo of an active homosexual.
Mark for omitted.
It is clear that being in “a sober mind and a strong memory,” no one will voluntarily “stuff this on himself.” But for general development, you can familiarize yourself.
The prison tattoos below are intended for thieves in law, camp authorities, and godfathers. They all carry a certain meaning and correspond to the rank of the person wearing them. For an ordinary person to do this to himself is to bring himself into big trouble.
“May the strongest win”, white crown with rays, the number of rays is the number of convictions. Ring of authority - thief in law, godfather.
Clubs and spades placed in a checkerboard pattern, a ring of camp authority. Can be combined with cathedral domes, the number of which corresponds to the number of convictions.
The eight-pointed star, tattoo of camp authorities - thieves in law, godfathers, denied, is applied under the collarbone.
Epaulet, another attribute of thieves in law.
A symbol of a thief in law, indicating the high rank of its owner in the criminal world.
“King of the Thief's Suit” is a status tattoo of the elite, the crown is a symbol of accomplished revenge.
Recommended reading: Tattoos of thieves in law.
We recommend reading: Chicano tattoo style
We recommend reading: Tattoo dots
We recommend reading: Star tattoo on knees
Syllabic abbreviations
Another large group is syllabic abbreviations. Prison abbreviations do not actually occur in this type, but it is still worth considering for the general understanding. There are several ways to obtain syllabic abbreviations:
- The initial parts of two or more words are added together: department store - department store.
- The beginning of one word and another word from the whole phrase are combined: terrorist attack - terrorist act.
- The initial part of the word is added with the oblique case form of the noun: zavotdeleniem - head of the department.
The beginning of the first word and the beginning and end of the second / end of the second word are connected: moped - mo(tocycle)+(bicycle)ped.
Prison tattoos and abbreviations
There is an opinion that prisoners began to get tattoos of their own free will and for internal reasons. But this is not entirely correct. The Russian government itself gave impetus to the development of prison tattoos. Abbreviations, images - all this was subsequently applied to the prisoners' bodies. And before that, the state branded those violators of law and order who were lifelong Siberian convicts. Over time, tattoos changed their meaning and essence. They became, in a way, a passport, a calling card for every prisoner.
Tattoos spoke of belonging to a declassed society, of the place of their wearer in the hierarchy of the criminal world. There are no prison tattoos that do not have a special meaning. Each of them describes a certain status and specialization of a person in the criminal world. Tattoos include a variety of images and abbreviations. There are a huge number of prison cuts, and we will look at the most famous ones.
On the attitude towards the police and the camp administration
It is considered especially chic to make a tattoo with an abbreviation containing an offensive or at least derogatory phrase in relation to “cops” (“garbage”) or “godfathers” (camp (prison) authorities. Or expressing the position of a prisoner regarding being in prison in principle , such as the famous SIR tattoo (“Freedom is Heaven”).
Such tattoos contain abbreviations: VUZ (“Eternal Prisoner of the Zone”), JOHN (“Only Misfortune Awaits at Home”), ZEK (“There is a Convoy Here”), KAT (“Convict”; by the way, this is perhaps one of the few prison tattoos , if not the only one that, since the times of the Decembrists, was initially given to convicts not by the prisoners themselves, but by their jailers). Soviet “radical” prisoners loved to inject themselves with the abbreviation MIR (“Execution Will Correct Me”).
ELEPHANT
A similar tattoo is typical for Soviet and some Russian prisoners. ELEPHANT is an abbreviation for a prison tattoo, which consists of four letters.
The official and main decoding is “death by a knife to a cop.” However, there are other options for deciphering this abbreviation. Firstly, “Soviet special purpose camps”, secondly, “Solovetsky special purpose camp”, thirdly – “Glory to Lenin - our father”. Sometimes there is also such an option as “from an early age there are only misfortunes.” The ELEPHANT tattoo has no special restrictions for its application. But because of individual words, such as “cops” and “knife”, it was mainly inflicted by convicts who are negatively disposed towards the authorities.
GOD
So many prison cuts are interpreted differently. The same applies to the abbreviation GOD. The prison tattoo, which has nothing to do with religion, has several interpretations. And often its real meaning is known only to its bearer and no one else. The most famous transcripts are, firstly, “God will forgive sins,” and secondly, “he was condemned by the state.” There are also such options as “I’m afraid to go hungry”, “I’ll rob again” and “be careful, robber”.
The meaning of prison abbreviations
Prison abbreviations and their meaning can be classified into several groups. For example, there are abbreviations that tell about the attitude of the convicted person to the country, government and politics:
- AGMD - “Adolf Hitler is my friend”;
- ALLURE - “I love anarchy with young love - joyfully”;
- ARBAT - “and Russia was, and now.”
Some abbreviations affect certain values that are important for the entire declassed society or for its individual participant (love, family, freedom, honor, etc.):
- ALENKA - “you have to love her like an angel”;
- BLITSS - “take care of love and appreciate freedom”;
- DMNTP - “for me there is no more beautiful you.”
It is also possible to identify a group of abbreviations that directly relate to the state, the legal process, the territorial location of the prisoner, etc. For example: GORN - “the state condemned (to) slaves forever.” This also includes the above-mentioned abbreviations ELEPHANT and BOSS.
Polysemy and options for deciphering abbreviations
Deciphering prison abbreviations is of great linguistic interest to philologists. As you yourself have already noticed, the same abbreviation can have several meanings.
This was due to the influence of a complex of factors - a moment in history, time, territory and others. Prison tattoo abbreviations have appeared and accumulated over the years, and now there are more than a hundred of them. Moreover, some of them are polysemantic, which speaks of the perhaps partly dubious subcultural wealth and originality of a declassed society.
Prison abbreviations have become a large part of modern linguistics and are of particular interest for study. After all, it is still not completely clear why they arose and how. Why do they have this particular semantic meaning and not another? Philologists still have a lot to learn, and also see how prison and criminal abbreviations will change with the course of our time. And they cannot help but change, since everything is subject to the influence of social external and internal factors.
Conditions of detention in punishment cells
The conditions in punishment cells are frankly depressing: the area of the cells usually does not reach ten square meters, despite the fact that according to SanPiN it is recommended to allocate 4 meters for one prisoner. The technical plan of the room provides for a small window, but it is often covered with either several sheets of iron or bars.
The insulator is framed by concrete walls, on which soot accumulates and paints them black, a ceiling and a cemented floor. On the sides of the insulator there are folding bunks fastened to the walls. A table or chairs mounted into the floor can be located in the center of the isolator. Water pipes run along the walls.
Bunks are structures in the form of several sheets of wood or iron fastened together. In a punishment cell, the number of sleeping places does not always correspond to the number of prisoners held there, so sleep is subject to a schedule - while some are sleeping, others are crowded into the corners. Each prisoner is given an individual set of linen and a mattress, but this is not always observed, and the quality of the material leaves much to be desired.
Attention! The possibility and duration of daytime sleep directly depends on the severity of the duty shift of prison workers, as well as on the peculiarities of the prison schedule - inspection of cells during shifts of duty officers, searches, inspection of the premises by the warden and his deputies, and a medical worker - all this can interrupt rest.
Lighting is provided by an accumulation lamp hanging in the center of the room. There is a sink in the corner. Facilities are usually represented by either a toilet or a portable bucket located in the corner.
In the cells of punishment cells, convicts continue to perform daily duties, for which they perform alternate duties. Duty includes monitoring the safety of cell equipment, equipment, obtaining dishes and cleaning equipment for prisoners. The duty officer is personally responsible for these items.
His responsibilities also include monitoring the cleanliness of the cell; cleaning the cell bathroom and drinking water tank, and at the end of the prescribed walk - the prison yard. The duty officer in the punishment cell may be assigned other duties by the administration of the correctional institution, if they do not contradict aspects of the legal framework for keeping prisoners in custody.
In addition to being on duty, prisoners for whom a penalty in the form of placement in a punishment cell is imposed with a transfer to work are engaged in labor activities during the day. The right to receive medical care is reserved for prisoners and is carried out in the form of preventive medical examinations and outpatient treatment, carried out in specially equipped rooms located in the buildings of the correctional institution.
The sanitary situation is catastrophic and is due to the inadequacy of the conditions for the number of prisoners, high humidity, and an abundance of cockroaches, bedbugs and fleas. According to the regime, prisoners eat three times a day, and they are also entitled to daily walks lasting an hour and a half (you can find out what prisoners are fed in correctional institutions here).
for convicts who do not violate the established order while staying in a punishment cell, the walking time can be increased to three hours a day
Such restrictions, even in the already difficult conditions of prison, create an unfavorable atmosphere for the mental state of the prisoner and thereby complicate the process of serving the sentence.
During the Soviet period, the punishment cell was characterized by more difficult living conditions. Until 1988, a reduced food standard for prisoners was legally approved. Feeding was carried out every other day. Walking was prohibited, mattresses and bed linen were not provided.
Reference. Violators of the prison regime were confiscated from their everyday clothes and given a cotton suit with poor hygienic and heat-protective properties. This was the case until 1992, when appropriate changes were made to the legislation regarding the nature of the conditions of stay of prisoners in the punishment cell.
We tell you more about the stay of prisoners in punishment cells, pre-trial detention centers and other places for punishment in a separate material.
