BRIBES, BRIBERY

            This list of definitions is not meant to be comprehensive but instead an aid to help fiction writers make their character’s dialog sound “authentic.” Some are occupational slang. Recording studio musicians for example loath “clams” (sour notes). Others are basic terms. To a sailor the hold is where cargo is stowed aboard a ship. To a gambler the hold is the bet percentage held back by a casino.

            Whether descriptive (“something small”) or no-nonsense (“the bite”) or poetic (“black mist”) it means the same thing. And wherever business is done in the shadows there is no escaping it. No people, no country is immune. It is the universally detested bribe.

    

                                                                                                   Michael McKeever

BRIBES, BRIBERY:

Area________      Term_______________________________

Africa/East            chai (“tea” in Swahili)

Africa/East            kitu kidogo (“something small” in Swahili)

Africa/Nigeria       cadeau

Africa/West          dash

Africa/West          chingola

China                    huilu

France                  pot-de-vin (“jug of wine”)

Germany               schmiergeld (“grease money”)

Italy                      bustarella (“little envelope”)         

Japan                    kuroi kiri (“black mist”)

Mexico                 una mordida (“the bite”)

Middle East          baksheesh

Russia                  vzyatka

Spain                   el sorborno

United States        hush money

      

    

BOONTLING

            This list of definitions is not meant to be comprehensive but rather an aid to help fiction writers make their character’s dialog sound “authentic”. Some are occupational slang. Recording studio musicians for example detest “clams” (sour notes). Others are basic terms. To a sailor a hold is where cargo is stowed aboard a ship. To a gambler a hold is the percentage held back by a casino.

BOONTLING:

“Invented” in the 1880s in the small Northern California town of Boonville, boontling is still heard today. Many of the thousand plus words have their origins in the town’s history. A photograph for example is a charley walker after an early photographer.  How often a fictional character might speak “boont” is, well, probably not often. But it is such a fun thing it would be a shame not to find some use for it. So don’t be feather-legged, hoist a horn of zeece and have a boll harp, even if you’re just harping a slip!

                                                                                                    Michael McKeever    

borp:                         pork, a pig. 

boll:                           good, wonderful.

boo:                           potatoes.

boshing harem:           hunting dog.

bright lighter:              city person.

bucky walter:             telephone.

cuttin’ buckeye:          relaxing, taking it easy.

dumplin dust:              flour.

Easter:                       egg.

feather-legged:           officious, know-it-all person.

gorm:                         to eat.

greeley:                      journalist, writer.

harp:                          conversation.

harping a slip:             making small talk.

hedger:                      barber.

hedger region:            barbershop.

horn of zeece:            cup of coffee.

kimmie:                      man, male.

nook:                         home.

ottoins:                       job.

pike:                          drive a car.

relf:                            rail fence.

skipe:                         clergy.

tom bacon:                 mustache.

trash mover:               storm.

tweed:                       child.

  

BOOKS-PRINTING, SALES

This list of definitions is not meant to be comprehensive but rather an aid to help fiction writers make their character’s dialog sound “authentic.” Some are occupational slang. Recording studio musicians for example detest “clams” (sour notes). Others are basic terms. To a sailor a hold is where cargo is stowed aboard a ship. To a gambler a hold is the bet percentage held back by a casino.

So…a writer in your novel is about to be published (as hopefully you are in real life). Congratulations, the manuscript has passed the final blues. But before you count that based on points earn-out, pray for good real estate, hopefully including a dump. Otherwise you might soon be stripped.

                                                                        Michael McKeever

BOOKS-PRINTING, SALES:

blues:               printer’s manuscript copy, last stage before printing.

dump:              cardboard bookshop display case.

dust cover:      paper cover to protect book.

earn-out:         total royalties.

galleys:            proofreader’s manuscript.

points:             royalties based on book’s retail price.

polybag:          clear plastic protecting both book and dust cover.

real estate:       bookshop shelf space.

stripping:         tearing covers off unsold paperbacks to return to publisher after books have been destroyed.

trade books:    large-format paperback books.

    

    

BICYCLING-TRAIL/MOUNTAIN

            This list of definitions is not meant to be comprehensive but rather an aid to help fiction writers make their character’s dialog sound “authentic.” Some are occupational slang.  Recording studios for example hate “clams” (sour notes). Others are basic terms. To a sailor a hold is where cargo is stowed aboard a ship. To a gambler a hold is the bet percentage held back by a casino.

            A popular “great outdoors” sport is riding a sturdy ATB (All Terrain Bicycle) over rough trails. Or maybe no trail at all.  So if you’re going to gonzo just be sure you have good knobbies before you settle on the saddle!

                                                                                                        Michael McKeever

BICYCLING-TRAIL/MOUNTAIN:

ATB:               All Terrain Bicycle: sturdy bike for riding across rough terrain.

cables:             control wires between handle bars and either derailleur or brakes.

cadence:          peddling rhythm.

coaster brake: brake that engages when bike is pedaled backward.

dab:                 keeping bike upright by moving foot from pedal to ground.

derailleur:        on rear wheel hub, shifts chain between sprockets.

fat tire:            wide tire.

feathering:       slowing bike by pressing and releasing brake cables.

gonzo:             riding fast over rough terrain.

knobbies:         heavy tread tires for riding across rough terrain.

racing tires:      hard, thin tires.

saddle:             bicycle seat.

    

BASKETBALL

            This series of definitions is not meant to be comprehensive but rather an aid to help fiction writers make their characters’ dialog sound “authentic.” Some are occupational slang. Recording studio musicians for example hate “clams” (sour notes). Others are basic terms. To a sailor a hold is where cargo is stowed aboard a ship. To a gambler a hold is the bet percentage held back by a casino.

            In 1891 James A. Naismith of the Y.M.C.A. College in Springfield, Massachusetts came up with the idea for a new game. Played indoors or out it required no more equipment than a large bouncing ball and two peach baskets attached to walls on a rectangular court. He called it Basketball.

            The peach baskets have long since been replaced by nets but most of the rules laid down by Naismith are followed to this day. And whether your hoops are big league or pickup, hope your players are good at boxing out and foul shots but no palming allowed and that’s not just talking trash.

                                                                        Michael Mckeever

BASKETBALL:

boxing out:    stepping in front of opposing player to keep them from getting ball.

double-teaming: guarding single defensive player with two defenders.

dribbling:       moving ball forward by rapid bouncing.

foul shot:       unchallenged free throw.

hoops:                        another name for basketball.

jumper:           tossing ball while jumping.

palming:         illegally scooping up ball with a hand before dribbling.

set shot:         tossing ball through hoop while standing.

shooting:       tossing ball through hoop.

talking trash: trying to rattle another player by yelling, jeering, etc.

traveling:        walking or running with the ball.

BASEBALL GAME and BASEBALL CARDS

            This series of definitions is not meant to be comprehensive but rather an aid to help fiction writers make their characters’ dialog sound “authentic.” Some are occupational slang. Recording studio musicians for example hate “clams” (sour notes). Others are basic terms. To a sailor a hold is where cargo is stowed aboard a ship. To a gambler a hold is the bet percentage held back by a casino.

            The lingo of baseball, that most American of sports, can be heard from major league ballparks to dusty back lots. So when your player pitches the apple make sure he’s not a rag arm who lets the batter hit a dinger! 

   

BASEBALL:

apple:             baseball.

beanball:         accidentally hitting player at bat with pitched ball.

cellar:              last place in baseball league.

dinger:             home run.

dusted off:       hit by a beanball.

grand slam:      hitting home run with bases loaded.

jug handle:       curve ball.

lumber:            baseball bat.

pill:                  baseball.

rag arm:           poor pitcher.

rookie:             new player.

smoker:           fastball.

thumbed out:   ordered off the field by the umpire.

woodpile:        bat storage rack.

  

BASEBALL CARDS:

            Overall there are two types of baseball card collectors. Boys who collect for fun, often building their collections through trading. And adults who collect cards as serious investments (often for serious cash). And who knows? Maybe that player on a rookie card will one day grace a star card (though no longer a tobacco card). 

                                                                                                               Michael McKeever

common card: card not in demand, usually a little-known or average player.

disc:                circular-shaped card instead of the usual rectangle.

double-print:   doubling a card’s print.

layering:          card damaged by separating (paper, finish) layers.

reprint:            reproduction of an earlier popular card.

rookie card:     new player’s first card.

star card:         famous player’s card.

tobacco card:  issued by tobacco companies from late 19^th through early 20^th centuries.

Automobile--Sales

             This series of definitions is not meant to be comprehensive but rather an aid to help fiction writers make their characters’ dialog sound “authentic.” Some are occupational slang. Recording studio musicians for example hate “clams” sour notes). Others are basic terms. To a sailor a hold is where cargo is stowed aboard a ship. To a gambler a hold is the bet percentage held back by a casino.

            The colorful lingo of car dealers, whether selling new or “pre-owned,” reflects an occupation where one has to be nimble of mind and not afraid to hustle. So after grinding the grape to buy that looptey with the brains blown out (getting you a good spiff) you better hammer the check.         

                                                                                                          Michael McKeever 

AUTOMOBILE-SALES:

be back:          customer who visits sales lot, leaves, then returns to buy.

bird dog:          person who steers possible customers to the sales lot.

brains blown out: auto sunroof.

bump:              nudging sales price up.

closer:              salesperson who takes over from “liner” who sets up the sale.

curb stoning:    selling used car away from lot as if being sold from private owner.

dimples:           dents in a car’s body.

full pop:           car’s list price.

grape:              customer willing to pay more than necessary.

green pea:        new salesperson.

grinding:          wearing down a customer’s sales resistance.

hammer a check: immediately cashing a customer’s check.

high ball:          inflating down payment so customer can “negotiate” price down to what

                       salesperson wanted in the first place.

home run:        selling car for full list price.

in bed:            getting customer off sales floor into closing booth.

kiss off sheet:  final sales document.

liner:                sales person in a take-over house who sets up customer for closer.

looptey:           used car that needs repairs.

low ball:          offering low trade-in so customer can “negotiate” amount up to what

                       salesperson was willing to pay in the first place.

lump:               car in poor condition accepted as a trade-in.

mope:              person who hangs around sales lot when they can’t afford to buy.

pack:               total price markups.

rag top:            convertible.

roach:              customer with poor credit.              

sent out on a ball: exaggerating possible deal to encourage be-back customer to return.

slam dunk:       selling a car for more than a customer really had to pay.

sneakers:         tires.

spiff:                bonus sales commission on hard-to-sell car.

AUTOMOBILE RACING

This series of definitions is not meant to be comprehensive but rather an aid to help fiction writers make their characters’ dialog sound “authentic.” Some are occupational slang. Recording studio musicians for example hate “clams” (sour notes). Others are basic terms. To a sailor a hold is where cargo is stowed aboard a ship. To a gambler a hold is the bet percentage held back by a casino.

 

There are auto enthusiasts who love cars for their power and speed. To them the roar of a powerful racing machine, whether souped-up stock car or sleek sports car is music. And their drivers heroes renowned for both their skill and courage. If any of your characters find perfume in the odor of hot rubber they’re undoubtedly familiar with the following terms. Just make sure when they blip that they don’t shunt which could end up in a prang.    

                                                                                                           Michael McKeever 

AUTOMOBILE-RACING:

ACCUS:         Automobile Competition Committee for the United States.

black flag:       flag signaling driver to pull into pit.

blip:                short, sharp acceleration raising rpm.

Le Mans Start: race start with drivers crossing track to cars rather than already in them.

NASCAR:      National Association for Stock Car Racing.

prang:              collision.

SCCA:            Sports Car Club of America.

shunt:              brushing against another car during race.

shut-off point: time to slow down before rounding bend.

stock:               car in standard factory condition.

USAC:                        United States Automobile Club.

AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE SCAMS

            This series of definitions is not meant to be comprehensive but rather an aid to help fiction writers make their character’ dialog sound “authentic.” Some are occupational slang. Recording studio musicians for example hate “clams” (sour notes). Others are basic terms. To a sailor a hold is where cargo is stowed aboard a ship. To a gambler a hold is the bet percentage held back by a casino.

            The last entry in this series touched on America’s ongoing love of automobiles with a few colorful words used by hot rod enthusiasts. After all hot rods are as American as hamburgers. But there are those who use the automobile for darker purposes from a bank robber’s “get away car” to this entry on automobile insurance scams. So watch out for runners who use crash dummies for the swoop and squat.

                                                                                                     Michael McKeever

       

AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE SCAMS:

crash dummies:   con artists who are drivers or passengers in staged accidents.

drive-down:        purposely hitting a car as it pulls out of a parking space. Then suing driver for “obstructing the right-of-way.”

runners:              con artists who stage “accidents” using “crash dummies” so that their  names don’t appear in resulting insurance claims.

steal and switch: removal of expensive car option (built-in CD player, etc.) by owner

                          who sells it, then files insurance claim that it was “stolen.”

swoop and squat: pulling ahead of a car, then breaking causing a rear-end collision. The

                          victim is then sued for “causing” the accident.

AUTOMOBILES: HOT RODS

            This series of definitions is not meant to be comprehensive but rather an aid to help fiction writers make their characters’ dialog sound “authentic.” Some are occupational slang. Recording studio musicians for example hate “clams” (sour notes).

Others are basic terms. To a sailor a hold is where cargo is stowed aboard a ship. To a gambler a hold is the bet percentage held back by a casino.

            America’s love affair with automobiles has been going on for over a century now. For this and the next three entries in this series we’ll list a few colorful words used by auto enthusiasts beginning with the classic hot rod as in a bomb, a screamer that has been chopped and raked.

                                                                                                 Michael McKeever

    

AUTOMOBILES: HOT RODS:

classic hot rod: 1920s-1930s car rebuilt as a hot rod in late 1940s-1950s.

bomb:              hot rod.

chopped:         lowered roof.

nostalgia hot rod: modern replica of a classic hot rod.

raked:              lowered front end.

screamer:         hot rod.

skins:               tires.

street hot rod: hot rod with required modifications to make it legal for street driving.

T-bucket:         hot rod built from 1920s Model T Ford.

AUSTRALIAN SLANG

            This series of definitions is not meant to be comprehensive but rather an aid to help fiction writers make their characters’ dialog sound “authentic.” Some are occupational slang. Recording studio musicians for example hate “clams” (sour notes). Others are basic terms. To a sailor "a hold" is where cargo is stowed aboard a ship. To a gambler “a hold” is the bet percentage held back by a casino.

            Australian slang combined with the typical Aussie drawl is one of the most colorful in the world. And that’s both bonzer and dinki-di, mate, and while you don’t want your Aussie characters to pickle and pork you’d be a wowser not to include a few words from Down Under.

                                                                                                        Michael McKeever

              

AUSTRALIAN SLANG:

barracking:      cheering for favorite sports team.

billabong:         pond.

bonzer:            great, terrific.

boozer:            tavern.

chook:             chicken.

clucky:             pregnant.

coolibah tree:   eucalyptus tree.

cozzie:             swimsuit.

crook:             sick.

dinki-di:           true, honest, the real thing.

dog’s eyes:      meat pies.

footy: Australian-rules football.

grazier:            rancher.

hooney:           awesome, very impressive.

jumbuck:         sheep.

mozzie:            mosquito.

pickle and pork: talk too much.

postie:              letter, to mail a letter.

snags:              sausages.

stubby:            short-necked beer bottle.

treated to the raw prawn:  treated badly, given the runaround.

wowser:           spoil sport.

ANTIQUES- MISCELLANEOUS

            This series of definitions is not meant to be comprehensive but rather an aid to help fiction writers make their characters’ dialog sound “authentic.” Some are occupational slang. Recording studio musicians for example hate “clams” (sour notes).

Others are basic terms. To a sailor a hold is where cargo is stowed aboard a ship. To a gambler a hold is the bet percentage held back by a casino.

            The world of antiques is so vast and complicated that each genre has its own slang and terms used by appraisers, dealers and collectors alike. From Hepplewhite furniture to Chippendale; from carnival glass to cranberry, knowing each field requires skill and an encyclopedic knowledge. Still, here are a few general terms an antique dealer might use in conversation, maybe while marrying different shakers to make a go with.

                                                                                                              Michael McKeever

    

ANTIQUES-MISCELLANEOUS:

armorial:          engraved crest or coat-of-arms.

bride’s basket: fruit bowl with a metal frame.

etui:                 small case for holding small implements like scissors.

fairy lamp:       1840s candle-burning night lamp for household use.

go with:           salt and pepper shaker set, each piece related, Dutch boy and girl for example.

marriage:         assembling different items to make a complete “set,” a tea set for example.

ormolu:            decorative brass used to imitate gold.

rolled gold:      thin gold layer fused over base metal.

scent bottle:     small bottle, often pear-shaped.

snuffer:            glass ball to snuff out cigarettes in ornate ashtrays.

vermicelli:        thin gold wire used in a decorative design.

ANIME

            This series of definitions is not meant to be comprehensive but rather an aid to help fiction writers make their characters’ dialog “authentic.” Some are occupational slang. Recording studio musicians hate “clams” (sour notes) for example. Others are basic terms. To a sailor a hold is where cargo is stowed aboard a ship. To a gambler a hold is the bet percentage held back by the casino.

            To many (if not most) Americans “anime” brings to mind noisy Japanese cartoons with headache-inducing limited animation starring doe-eyed characters with spiky hair. But anime is far more. It can be subtle and profound, sorrowful and joyful. The largest animation industry in the world, it is enjoyed by fans of every age on every continent.

            So whether your character prefers shojo to shonen, is a otaku or full-blown weeao, they might sprinkle their conversation with a few of the following words.         

ANIME:

anime:          in the United States: Japanese style animation; in Japan: any animated film.

hentai:          erotic anime.

manga:         Japanese style comic books or graphic novels.

mecha-anime: anime with plots revolving around advanced technology, robots, etc.

OAV:             direct to DVD anime without theater or television showing.

otaku:            devoted fan, sometimes to the point of obsession.

seinen:          anime/manga produced/written to appeal to male audience/readership.

shojo:            anime/manga produced/written to appeal to female audience/readership.

shonen:         anime/manga produced/written to appeal to a boy’s audience/readership.

weeao:          fan of not only anime or manga but everything Japanese.

AMISH

This series of definitions is not meant to be comprehensive but rather an aid to help fiction writers make their characters’ dialog “authentic.” Some are occupational slang. Recording studio musicians hate “clams” (sour notes) for example. Others are basic terms. To a sailor a hold is where cargo is stowed aboard a ship. To a gambler a hold is the bet percentage held back by the casino.

            Among themselves the Amish speak Hochdeitsch. But assuming your character is in “Amish” country they are liable to hear a few “Amish words” spoken even among the “English.” But that doesn’t mean the English would ever gelassenheit to the demut, being too full of hochmut to follow the ordnung.      

AMISH:

Deitsch:           high German dialect spoken by Amish.

demut:             humility cultivated by the Amish.

English:           Amish term for non-Amish.

gelassenheit:    to submit.

Hochdeitsch:   high German dialect spoken by the Amish.

hochmut:         pride, rejected by the Amish.

ordnung:          rules by which the Amish live.

rumspringa:     years from 16 to early twenties when for the Amish the ordnung is not

                       strictly enforced allowing them to experience the outside “English”               

                       world.

shunned:          excommunication by order of Amish elders.

Airline Pilots, Air Traffic Controllers

This series of definitions is not meant to be comprehensive but rather an aid to help fiction writers make their characters’ dialog sound “authentic.” Some words are occupational slang. Recording studio musicians for example hate “clams” (sour notes). Others are basic terms. To a sailor a hold is where cargo is stowed aboard a ship. To a gambler a hold is the bet percentage held back by a casino.

We’ll start with a few aviation words. An airline pilot for example won’t fly his plane’s barber pole when stacked in a daisy chain filled with bug smashers.

                                                                                                           Michael McKeever

 

AIRLINE PILOTS

barber pole:   aircraft’s top speed.

bug smasher:small private aircraft.

daisy chain: aircraft lined up waiting to take off or circling, waiting to land.

dogs:              passengers.

Fat Albert:      Boeing 747.

Indian:            small private aircraft.

slam dunk:    steep landing approach.

AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS:

coasting:        computer stops tracking moving aircraft, showing last known position.

deal:               error by controller causing near miss.

down the pipes: said of a burned-out, badly stressed controller.

hand off:        passing aircraft from one controller’s screen to next.

NMAC (pronounced en-mac); midair collision.

picture:           understanding everything on the screen, “got the picture.”

pumping tin: directing aircraft.

pull off the scopes: remove an error-prone controller from his position.  

scattering:      data wipeout on screen from computer overload.

target:             block of symbols on screen with an aircraft’s speed, altitude and heading.

TCA:               Terminal Control Area, regulated airspace around airport.

tin:                   aircraft.

TRACON:      Terminal Radar Control, controllers who guide aircraft approaches and departures.

triple x:           altitude data wipeout leaving the x’s in its place on screen caused by computer overload.