A drug slang dictionaryUnusual semantic relations

● It is important to point out that though the groups of speakers are constantly creating semantic associations for new terms, they keep continually in contact with their standard language, which means that the possibilities of paradigmatic choices may assume either the features of the regular, accepted, standardized referents or adopt a more restricted and therefore contextualized one.

● Babysitter (referring to marijuana) is more likely to be perceived as a slang thanIndian hemp, since the references of the latter can be easily recognized by the average of speakers.

● On the other hand, the widespread term Marijuana does not present a clearrelation with the semantic categories that we normally attribute to the drug itself, it is nolonger perceived as a term deprived of references.

● Mother● Machinery● Gold star● Lovelies

Less recognizable

More recognizable● flowers● Locoweed● firewood● rip● laughing

The variety of references can be construed and incorporated to the slang in a very flexible way. In the case of marijuana, this flexibility seems to be even more extensive. This set of references may include the attribute of illegality, the origin – place where the herb is cultivated - sensations caused by the substance and even persons from popular culture who are allegedly known as marijuana users

For example● muggles– a term probably derived from

smuggles, just as we have muamba in PB.

● kate bush – the singer. Though the term Bobby (referring to Bobby Marley) is not listed on the dictionary, it is very common among brazilians.

How does the constant use of a certain slang can change the way we perceive its references?

When dealing with new object, all the prior recognizable characteristics are taken intoaccount. In the case of slang, especially drug slang, an inverse process takes place, and thelexical choices reveal the semantic categories being openly associated .

A broad sample of terms related to marijuana shows the strict relation betweenthis specific drug and geographical referents.

Exemple : afgani indicaacapulco redafrican blackafrican bushafrican woodbineangolacambodian red/cam redcanadian blackchicago greencolombianhawaiian blackindian boyindian hayindian hempjamaican gold

jamaican red hairmanhattan silvermexican brown- Marijuana; heroinmexican greenmexican locoweedpakistani blackpanama cutpanama goldpanama redghana

In the case of drug there is an additional aspect: the need to hide the meaning, not be understood by those who do not belong to the group. Nevertheless, some terms seem to openly reveal what is behind them. These terms are more likely to be used when there is no risk involved. Similarly to different kinds of slang, they create a certain identity for the group, but are not necessarily designed as to hide the meaning.

Sensations caused by the chemical effects appear recurrently associated with theconcrete object.

Marijuana● laughing grass● laughing weed● feeling● giggle smoke● giggle weed● happy cigarette● happy stick-

PCP● animal tranquilizer● elephant tranquilizer● horse tranquilizer

COCAINE● bonecrusher- Crack Cocaine● Nose-scratcher● Speed (in western Europe)

Slang can also be a way of expressing irony and therefore the semantic relationsare not "genuinely" established. Allusions to terms associated with parental relations can betaken as examples.

Allusions to terms associated with parental relations can be taken as examples :● aunt mary– Marijuana● baby bang– Marijuana● babysitter– Marijuana● aunt nora- Cocaine

Associations with features that more or less correspond to the physical aspects of the drug are considerably frequent when an isolated term or the head of a compound is a noun. In this sense, terms like weed and herb are used for marijuana, whereas crystal and powder are respectively associated with PCP and cocaine.

MARIJUANA● bad seed- Marijuana

combined with peyote; heroin

● corn● dew● ditch weed● draf weed● drag weed

● earth● flower● flower tops● hay butt● herb● herb and al-

Marijuana and alcohol● herba

PCP● krystal● krystal joint● magic dust● orange crystal

COCAINE● angel powder● bernie's gold dust● big flake● foolish powder- Cocaine; heroin● friskie powder● have a dust

Despite of playing with semantic fields and relations, there are other references:

The persona of the dealer (person(s) that sell drug), In these cases concepts are associated according to the roles or acts performed. Compounds may present the semantic relation activity-actor.

Selling relation● author- Doctor who writes illegal prescriptions● body-stuffer- Individual who ingests crack vials

to avoid prosecution● bag man- Person who transports money; a

person who supplies narcotics or other drugs, a pusher

● beat artist- Person selling bogus drugs● bomb squad- Name of crack-selling crew● come up- A person who sells drugs for money;

to take a small amount of money and increase to a large amount.

● hawkers- Individuals who walk through a setting (nightclub) announcing the availability of a drug (typically MDMA, GHB, or LSD)

● juggler- Teen-aged street dealer● leo- Law enforcement officer● mule- Carrier of drugs● peddlar- Drug supplier● tout- Person who introduces buyers to sellers● travel agent- LSD supplier● uncle- Federal agents● zoomer- Individual who sells fake crack and

then flees

Places relation● abandominiums- Abandoned row houses where drugs are used● box labs- Small, mobile, clandestine labs used to produce

methamphetamine● brewery- Place where drugs are made● c joint- Place where cocaine is sold● coke bar- A bar where cocaine is openly used● copping zones- Specific areas where buyers can purchase drugs● crack house- Place where crack is used● crack spot- Area where people can purchase crack; place where crack is

sold, but not used● factory- Place where drugs are packaged, diluted, or manufactured

● get off houses- Private places heroin users can purchase & use heroin for a fee

● hit house- House where users go to shoot up and leave the owner drugs as payment

● set- Place where drugs are sold; Talwin and ritalin combination is injected and produces an effect similar to the effect of heroin mixed with cocaine.

● shooting gallery- Place where drugs are used● stash- Place to hide drugs

We can share the vocabulary in various other semantic fields :● Quality● Quantity● Physical or mental disturbances caused by heavy or

frequent use● Other case

Quality:● bammies- A poor quality marijuana● black mo/black moat- Highly potent marijuana● blanks- Low quality drugs● crap- Low quality heroin● dirt grass- Inferior quality marijuana● flea powder- Low purity heroin● flex- Fake crack (rock cocaine)● gank- Fake crack● kind bud- High quality marijuana● ragweed- Inferior quality marijuana; heroin

Quantity:● eight ball- 1/8 ounce of drugs● five cent bag- $5 worth of drugs● half elbows- 1/2 pound of methamphetamine● henry- 1/8 of marajuana● matchbox- 1/4 ounce of marijuana or 6 marijuana

cigarettes● sandwich bag- $40 bag of marijuana● quarter bag- $25 worth of drugs

Physical or mental disturbance caused by the heavy or frequent use:

● bummer trip- Unsettling and threatening experience from PCP intoxication● burned out- Collapse of veins from repeated injections; permanent

impairment from drug abuse● burnout- Heavy abuser of drugs● cocaine blues- Depression after extended cocaine use● come home- End a "trip" from LSD● explorers club- Group of LSD users● getting roached- Using Rohypnol● getting snotty- Using heroin

Other cases:● artillery- Equipment for injecting drugs● backtrack- Allow blood to flow back into a needle during injection● channel- Vein into which a drug is injected● channel swimmer- One who injects heroin● cooker- To inject a drug; person who manufactures methamphetamine● eggs- Heroin in rock form● emergency gun- Instrument used to inject other than a syringe● get down- To inject a drug● batted out- Apprehended by law● gutter- Vein into which a drug is injected● interplanetary mission- Travel from one crackhouse to another to search

for crack

● loused- Covered by sores and abscesses from repeated use of unsterile needles

● on ice- In jail● score - to purchase drugs● sextasy- Ecstasy used with Viagra● shot to the curb- A person who has lost it all to crack● slanging- Selling drugs● tracks- Row of needle marks on a person

ConclusionDespite the idea of arbitrariness and mismatch that many drug slang may present in terms of semantic relations, some regularity and productive rules can still be identified. In the course of production and assimilation, new conceptions can be added to a previous one. However, semantic relations in such a contextualized environment must not only be recognizable by the group, but coherent to a series of correspondences that have been accepted as important to maintain the flow of communication. It does not imply that the perception of reality must necessarily be changed when the social interactions occur in those specific contexts. The adoption of codes in communication, different situations imposed by reality and unusual aspects of social interaction function as imperatives that lead this specific group of speakers to constantly recreate new semantic relations.