British glossary for Bawlmerese
Earlier this year, The Independent provided a glossary of terms to help viewers of "The Wire" understand what those Baltimore drug dealers and city cops were talking about.
Some examples:
Corner boy - Low-level employee of the drug trade who staffs a street corner
Game (The) - Life of a drug dealer in which the dealer accepts a different set of rules and ethics from that of the civilian - i.e., apparently minor transgressions may be punishable by death
Re-up: Restock package from drugs wholesaler
Pretty good. Though with all due respect to my colleagues at the Independent, I think at least one of the terms got lost in translation: According to a 98-page indictment of the Black Guerrilla Family earlier this year, federal Drug Enforcement Agents describe a "burner" as slang for a firearm, not a disposable phone.
Agents listened in on conversations between alleged BGF leaders and recorded this exchange after an alleged gang associate was pulled over and found to be in possession of a gun, as well as handcuffs, rubber gloves and a mask. Here's how Detective William Nickoles recounted the conversation in the affidavit in support of search warrants:
"Yeah Q had the burner [a reference to a firearm] on him and he had just gotten out of the car," one member said.
"Damn," said the other.
"Just happened. Just lucky I ain't carrying that thing."
(Side note: So who's going to help me pickup the British lingo when I get to London next week?)
Comments
Fenton! You're in London! That's insane.
Posted by: Cribbster | November 1, 2009 3:51 PM
To be fair to the Indie Burner was definitely used by the major crimes unit in the Wire season 3 to refer to the disposable phones
Posted by: Arun Marsh | November 2, 2009 7:10 AM
A burner is a disposable phone in The Wire......the minutes burn out and your throw it away
Much of the show's writers' experiences date back to the 80s and 90s. It's possible the lingo has changed over time, or maybe it means different things to people in different parts of town? -Justin
Posted by: Marlo Stanfield | November 2, 2009 12:48 PM
Listen to most all "gangsta rap" and you'll know that "burner" is definitely a gun.
Posted by: Brad | November 2, 2009 4:12 PM
Just remember that in the UK "pants" are "underpants". If you say to your new co-workers, "Oh, I'm going to run home after work to change my pants," hilarity will ensue.
Posted by: BmoreCareful | November 2, 2009 7:19 PM
How funny! Almost as funny as Hamsterdamn. Born and raised in Baltimore...old skool and new. A burner is definitely a gun (old school lingo), new school would call it a "tone". A disposable phone in Bmore,back then was called a burn-out. Hence, you "burn-up" the minutes and throw it away, to avoid any type of police wire tapping on a familiar line. When I watched The Wire, I noticed it immediately...Bmore disposable phones are called burn-outs, not burners. LMAO Easy mistake.
Posted by: Hopeful | November 2, 2009 10:25 PM
Hi Justin,
Jerome Taylor, one of the reporters at The Independent, here.
We'll start compiling a little dossier of Britishisms for you to take back across the Atlantic.
Soon the corner boys of Bawlmer will be ending all their sentances with "innit."
Innit.
Posted by: Jerome Taylor | November 3, 2009 6:47 AM