What does the word just in prison mean? Why don’t they say “thank you” and “please” in the zone? Features of the prison vocabulary

Prison is a place where many of the words we use and hear every day are given a completely different meaning. For example, the word “load” in prison means to extort money, and “call” means to serve a sentence. There is even a separate name for a group of these expressions - “fenya” - the so-called thieves’ or criminal jargon, and it must be used correctly, because one incorrectly spoken word can deprive all friends and the so-called “patronage”. Prison is a dangerous place.

Why can't you say thank you in prison? Better not say that word.

Always and everywhere there are rules that must be followed so as not to be an outcast. There are always and everywhere words that are better not to use if you are not sure of their correct meaning. Also in prison. Its own rules, its own jargon. It is worth noting that there you cannot pronounce words such as:

• Place.
  Thanks to one phrase from the movie “Gentlemen of Fortune”: “Don’t you think your place is near the bucket?” When a newcomer comes to his cell, the first phrase should be, for example: “Where can I fall?”, but definitely not “Where is my place?” If you ask in this way, then a location next to the toilet will be guaranteed.
• Witness.

There are no witnesses in prison, only eyewitnesses.

• Ask
  For prisoners, “asking” means holding them accountable for their actions. Using this word can cause serious conflict
• Prove

This is considered a rather big word. In other words, if a prisoner decides to prove something, then he will not be able to retract his words later if the situation suddenly changes not in his favor.

• Resentment

Among prisoners, “offended” are those who do not have the proper authority among others. If something upset a cellmate, you should say “upset,” but you’ll definitely have to forget about “offended.”

But you also cannot use the word that people pronounce many times a day in everyday life. Therefore, let’s look at the main question for today: why can’t you say “thank you” in prison and what will happen for this?

“Another thank you, and I can’t vouch for myself.”

Do not forget that jailers are, basically, people who do not favor politeness, so the “words of a well-mannered person” are unlikely to be characteristic of them. Basically, such words are used by those who are on the other side of the bars - the guards, all the prison authorities. Would the prisoner really use the same vocabulary as them? Of course, this is far from the only reason for such an attitude towards such a simple word.

1. Pretense

As soon as a newcomer uses words such as “thank you”, “please”, the people who are sitting in the same cell with him get the feeling that he is trying to somehow elevate himself among them, to put himself above. Perhaps at first he will be warned about the dangers of using this word, but if he continues to use it, nothing good will happen.

2. Intelligentsia

The intelligentsia loves to use the word “thank you.” This is exactly what it gives away. Naturally, they are not liked in prison. Also, in prisons, mostly ordinary people “sit”, who always harbor hostility towards everyone who is higher than them in status. If this “intellectual” also shows this often, then the “cellmates” will not stand aside, and things may lead to bloodshed.

3. Police vocabulary

As previously said, this word is used by all those who locked them here. This is the only reason you can hate him.

4. Lack of gratitude

“Thank you,” which means “God bless,” is not the best payment for certain help or support, be it a treat of tea or assistance in a conflict with another prisoner, from a “cellmate.” It is best to say “thank you,” that is, to give a blessing. In prison you need to be able to respect others; there is no other way to stay sane here.

So what is the correct way to say that?

In prison, it is customary to say “from the heart” or “spiritually”; they also use the word “thank you”, thus giving a benefit in return to someone who has provided you with a valuable service. “Thank you” can be very offensive, and it is better to completely erase it from your vocabulary so that prison does not become a second hell.

Who was most disliked in Soviet prisons?

Life in places of deprivation of liberty is strictly regulated not only by criminal law and the regulations of the correctional institution itself, but, often to an even greater extent, by the unwritten laws of the criminal world, “concepts.”

And according to these “concepts”, every prisoner, once in a zone or in prison, takes his place in a strict hierarchy, becoming a member of one of the prison castes (or “suits”). And if the attitude towards some castes in prisons is respectful, towards others - neutral, then there are also castes whose members are doomed to contempt and constant humiliation. However, experts in criminal psychology claim that these days, these once unshakable rules are undergoing changes, and that the way of life in the zones has changed greatly in comparison with what it was in Soviet times. Who was not loved in the Soviet zones and why?

Zones "black" and "red"

Before talking about prison castes, it is worth noting that zones also have their own divisions. There are “red” zones - these are those where the administration strictly controls all aspects of life, and ensures that all prisoners, without exception, obey all internal rules. “Black zones,” and the majority of them in the country, live “according to concepts,” here the administration is forced to share power with criminals, and turn a blind eye to the fact that relationships between prisoners and internal life are built “according to concepts.”

Goats

The highest caste are the “thieves” - professional criminals. They are followed by “men” - people who stumbled by accident and intend to return to normal life after serving their sentence. They do not refuse to work, but they do not cooperate with the administration, they respect the “thieves”, and do not lay claim to authority and power. “Men” in the zones, as a rule, are the majority and the attitude towards them is neutral. The “thieves” and “men” are followed by “goats”. These prisoners openly cooperate with the administration, often occupying some kind of administrative position - caretaker or commandant. In the “black” zones they don’t like “goats”. They are not accepted into the “common fund”; sometimes the administration even has to collect the “goats” into separate barracks, since they are treated with extreme hostility. In the “red” zones, the “goats”, taking advantage of concessions from the administration, sometimes set up their own “common fund” and regulate the lives of other prisoners. To call a person who does not belong to this category a goat, and in general, to apply to him any derivative of the word “goat” is a terrible insult.

Garbage

This is the name given to former police or militia officers convicted of a crime. They are absolute outcasts. No one will risk talking to them or even touching the “garbage”, including sexual intercourse, since anyone who does this immediately becomes a “cock” or “down.” Killing "garbage" is a great valor, and the one who did it is immediately transferred to a higher caste. However, this does not concern the Roosters.

Wool

“Wool” or “wool” is the name given to a dishonest prisoner, one who, collaborating with the administration, is engaged in beating or raping other, “correct” prisoners in “press huts”. These are those who create “lawlessness”, in fact, not being “thieves”. The name is said to have come from the wool blend clothing that was given to activists collaborating with the administration in Stalin's camps.

Roosters

This is the lowest caste in the zone, and once a person becomes a “rooster”, he will no longer be able to move to another category. In another way, “roosters” are called “lowered”, “offended”, “blue”, “leaky”. These are passive homosexuals. Any prisoner who has been sexually assaulted at least once, or even just unknowingly sits at the same table with the “roosters” can become a “rooster.” The "roosters" have no rights. They do the dirtiest and most unpleasant work: they clean toilets, they are shop cleaners, firemen, etc. You cannot touch them, except for sexual contact, take any objects from their hands, drink and eat with them from the same dishes and at the same table. Any hint that a person belongs to the “roosters”, “offended” is a grave insult, and if the prisoner does not call the offender to account, then he can be immediately “dismissed”. Otherwise, the offender may also be “put down.” The “Rooster” is obliged to have sexual contact with anyone who wishes it, however, they are paid for sexual services - with a cigarette, a can of condensed milk or a piece of sausage. Otherwise, they may consider that intercourse took place “out of love,” which in itself threatens the “downfall” of the offender.

Pigs and devils

In some zones these are special cases of “omitted”. “Chushkas” are those who don’t wash themselves and don’t take care of their appearance. Everyone avoids contact with “chug”, even “roosters”. “Devils” in zones where juvenile criminals are kept (“youngsters”) are those who do all the dirty work for other, more authoritative prisoners. As a rule, the “omitted” ones fall into the “devils” category.

Russian Seven http://russian7.ru/post/kogo-bolshe-vsego-ne-lyubili-v-

What words are better not to say in a Russian prison?

There is a saying in Russia: don’t swear off prison, but don’t swear off the scrip. Perhaps it is precisely because to our people the idea of ​​a prison in the depths of their souls never seems absolutely incredible, and there is such an interest in prison topics in Russian society? We love thieves' songs, the prison vocabulary has come into use, and sometimes even from senior government officials we hear something from the category of "on concepts." So we know exactly what they say in prison. But what should you never say in prison?

And you will answer for the market

Experienced people say that the last thing a prisoner can do is to chat in vain, and even worse, throw out empty threats that he is unable to implement. The rule in the zone is “answer for the market!” If something was said, promised, then you need to break it and do it. And no excuses about changed circumstances will help here.

Lexicon

There are words in the zone that should not be spoken. Especially if there is a serious conversation with authoritative people. This harsh etiquette is hammered into newcomers once and for all. So, you should never say:

Sit down. - Everyone is sitting here anyway. You have to say “sit down, sit down.”

Listen! - You just “hear.” “Hear” is consonant with “from the skis.” And those who turn to the administration for help in finding a safe place become “skiers” in the zone.

Offended. - I must say “upset.” An offended person is a “low-down” person, and there is no one worse than the “low-down” in the zone.

Got lost. - It would be better to say “lost.” They are fornicating - it’s clear who.

Where is my seat? - When entering the cell, you cannot say that, otherwise they will immediately indicate “a place by the bucket.” In addition, when a conflict arises, they say “Know your place!”, which is practically an insult. Therefore, one should ask “Where should I fall?”

Witness. - Witnesses appear in court and undergo investigations. But there are no witnesses in the zone; everyone here is convicted. Therefore we should say “eyewitness”.

Shall we go ask? - It’s also not worth saying that. It’s better to say: “let’s go and take an interest.” “To ask” means to make a claim for a “jamb,” that is, for a misdemeanor.

Thank you. - it’s also not customary to say. There is even a saying: “They beat you beautifully for a ‘thank you’.” You need to say “thank you” or “thank you,” or simply nod and say “from the bottom of my heart!”

I'll prove it. - it should be said “justified”, since they prove it exclusively in court.

How is your health? - more correctly: “How are you?” In response to the question “how is your health,” they may very sternly object, “What do you care about my health?”

Goodbye. - These words are also taboo. No dates.

Ignorance of these rules may cause provocation. For example, a newcomer flippantly promises to “ask” someone. The answer immediately follows: “Ask? From me? Well, come on, show it!” Or even worse: the newcomer says, “I’m offended!” And then the answer follows: “So you’re offended?” "No no!" - the newcomer says in fear, and hears: “Prove it!” Here are two provoking situations that began quite harmlessly. After all, as we know, one should be responsible for the market.

Obscene language

These words should simply be forgotten. If sometimes you accidentally say “thank you” or “sit down,” nothing bad will happen. For the first time, an inexperienced prisoner can simply be corrected, pointing out that such vocabulary is inappropriate in the zone. But a three-letter word that everyone knows can cause very big trouble.

It is very dangerous to remember your mother in the same way. It is best not to utter any words that may refer to the mother at all, so as not to accidentally offend the scrupulous carers.

One of the most dangerous words in a Russian prison is “thank you.” The prisoners consider him not only undesirable, but also offensive. It is prohibited to use it both orally and in writing, even when addressing relatives. Why did such a benevolent and harmless word end up on the “black list” of the prison lexicon?

The fact is that in places not so remote, politeness (and even more so ostentatious) was always treated extremely negatively. The use of “thank you” seems to the prisoners to be a show off, a desire to emphasize their intelligence, and therefore to place themselves above the rest of the prisoners, who, for the most part, come from the bottom of the social spectrum.

Such prisoners experience something akin to class hatred towards everyone who occupies a higher social position. The impudent person who decides to show his intelligence is quickly put in his place by the jailers.

However, for the first time they can get by with a warning. If the newcomer continues to use the forbidden word, then he will instantly be “set straight.” The reprisals can be extremely brutal, and cases of self-harm have been reported.

What word should replace “thank you” in prison? It is correct to pronounce “sincerely”, “from the heart” or “thank you”.

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 those in power authorities and the presence of a connection with authorities in the wild or in other correctional institutions, 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. Authority Most obey 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, norms 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 acts 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 prison law, for example, he tries to seat those in the dining room at common tables, demands that prisoners walk in formation to and from the dining room, prohibits movement through zone, entrance to other people's barracks, 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) - euphemism for goat .

Circle- education broader than family or kentovka; formed most often according to the principle of fraternity.

Wing (put on wing)- a bandage on the sleeve, signifying the prisoner's entry into assets, i.e., in prison jargon, in goats.

Covered(t, s) - Prison-type ITU for those convicted of serious crimes or sent to prison by court order from ITK 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. Xivy There are also purely personal content. Constant communication between the camps and prisons scattered throughout the country is carried out using xiv. Synonym - little one, little one;
2) Document, identity card.

Godfather(t) - operational unit employee ITU or Pre-trial detention center.

Nepotistic mutka, nepotistic weed- provocations organized in the zone by operatives to achieve their goals.

Khipezh (kipezh)- unrest, unrest, rebellion started by prisoners against the administration, or by the administration against prisoners.

Shkvarnoy(t) - the same as lowered.

Shkonka, shkonar(t) - bed. In the prison there is a bed, welded from metal pipes and strips, embedded in the floor; often two or three tiers. By number shkonok usually judged on the size and capacity of the cells.

Skin- prisoner's jacket.

Skin(t) - denunciation, report on another prisoner.

Shmon(t, s) - search.

Shnyr(t) - 1) A prisoner who has taken (sometimes under pressure from other prisoners) the responsibility of cleaning a cell, barracks, industrial premises, and performing work that prisoners are required to do in turn. For this work, he receives a certain payment from the prisoners themselves in food, smoke, and money.
2) Prisoners occupying the positions of orderlies (attendants, guards, cleaners) in certain structural units of correctional institutions (punishment isolation wards, PKT, headquarters, visiting rooms, detachments, etc.). Shnyr counts goat already by the position itself.

Banging- to spy for someone else, most often for the benefit of the administration.

Headquarters(c) - the premises of the penitentiary complex, in which the offices of the colony employees (chief, deputies, operational workers, etc.) are located. Often the medical unit is located in the same room.

Stage(t) - a room for prisoners newly arrived at the colony (transporters), where they are kept in isolation from other prisoners of the correctional facility for several days.

Moreover, using this word in written speech is also strictly prohibited. If the letter was addressed to a prisoner, then he may be seriously offended, or rather upset.

Old Believers

There is a version that the ban on the word “thank you” in prisons passed to prisoners from the Old Believers // Photo: warosu.org

Instead of “thank you” among the Old Believers, and then for a long time among the Don Cossacks, it was customary to say “thank you,” “thank you,” “save Christ,” and the like. Dislike for the word “thank you” persisted among representatives of the common people, many of whose ancestors were Old Believers. Since many of the prisoners in Russian prisons are not of noble birth, hostility to the word took root and has remained to this day.

"Men" and the intelligentsia

Most of the “inmates” consider themselves to be common people. They don’t like it when someone shows off their noble origin and upbringing // Photo: russian7.ru

In the modern world, the intelligentsia is perceived much better, but there remains a sharply negative attitude towards law enforcement officers, judges and other representatives of Themis. Since investigators, prosecutors, prison authorities, and so on use “thank you” in their vocabulary, this is sufficient reason to exclude it from their speech.

Payment for benefits

Other researchers of prison rules and lexicon argue that in fact, for inmates, tea and cigarettes are common things that do not have a specific owner. This is confirmed by the circle tea party, as well as a number of other prison traditions. Therefore, there is no need to thank for gifts.

Showing off

Sometimes the ban on “thank you” can be found not only in prison, but also among street hooligans with exaggerated “boyish concepts” // Photo: ria.ru