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The A to Z of Irish Crime: A Guide to Criminal Slang |
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The good people at Maverick House have published a guidebook of crime-fic phrases which might require similar clarification. For example: the detective has to get information from a "Toe-Rag"- is that Dublinese for a shoeshine boy? His hungover partner rides along, "effing and blinding,"- what he hell does that mean? Their reluctant interviewee apologizes publicly for getting the detective's wife "up the Duff"- drunk on that beer from The Simpsons? Readers who have familiarity with Irish culture, low or high, will learn nothing new from The A to Z of Irish Crime about scumbags, swearing or pregnancy. Most of what's in this guide is in common usage. The majority isn't even Irish. "Pimp," "ATM," "joint," "tip-off," "stoned," "gangster," and "carjack" are universal. I really doubt that "boner, a" needs elaboration. True, there are specific terms like "Anvil" which are both Irish and crime-related. The audience for whom The A to Z of Irish Crime will be most useful is those who are improving their English through exciting, engaging crime thrillers rather than boring old textbooks. The phrases used in real life in Dublin can't be found in the school-approved glossary, me oul' flower. |
A selection of Irish crime books from off Critical Mick's shelf. John Mooney and Jean Harrington's The A to Z of Irish Crime: A Guide to Criminal Slang will be helpful to readers who are unfamiliar with how to speak Dublinese. |
A site that gets a raving recommendation, for local and foreigner alike, is Overheard in Dublin. Pay a visit for countless hilarious anecdotes that are absolutely true to life. It makes the Dub Glossary that I wrote up for my own DFA Guide to Dublin look like a real minger.
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Critical Mick says: I doubt that The A to Z of Irish Crime would prepare me to converse with an actual Irish fence. The wrought iron variety is the only kind that wouldn't immediately start laughing at my attempts to talk "the ever changing language of the street." But, for crime fiction fans who wish for help reading the Tana French, Ken Bruen or Declan Hughes that has been recommended to them, Maverick House's slim companion is a helpful start toward understanding the Irish turn of phrase.
Yo! This review and all content on the DFA Guide site are copyright 2008 Mick Halpin. All links to other sites and documents are copyright to whatever source wrote something cool enough for Mick to give it a referral. Try to claim them as your own work and bad karma will catch up with you, baby. Believe it.
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This Page Was Last Updated On 19 December, 2008.
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