In ordinary English "goof" can mean a silly or goofy person - but in prison slang it means a pedophile or a rapist inmate, the lowest of the low. I was wondering what the origin of the latter is.
One, rather unusual origin I thought of was that in Hebrew / Judaism, "guph" (pronounced "goof") means the physical, soulless part of human body, essentially a "meat bag". Could it be the origin?
The incident with goofy at Disneyland
This thread will trigger BB.
Here's what wiktionary has to say:
QuotePerhaps from dialectal English goff ("foolish clown"), from earlier goffe, further etymology uncertain.
Perhaps from Middle English goffen ("to speak in a frivolous manner"), possibly from Old English gaf, ġegaf ("base; wanton; lewd", adj), Old English ġegaf ("buffoonery; scurrility", noun), gaffetung, golfettung ("buffoonery; mockery"). Compare English dialectal gauffin ("lightheaded; foolish; giddy"), Scots gaff, gawf ("to talk loudly; babble"), Scots gaffaw ("a loud laugh").
Alternatively, perhaps from Middle French goffe ("awkward; stupid"). Compare also Spanish gofo, Italian goffo, Ancient Greek γόμφος (gómphos).
Quote from: Martinus on September 05, 2016, 02:54:51 AM
In ordinary English "goof" can mean a silly or goofy person - but in prison slang it means a pedophile or a rapist inmate, the lowest of the low.
Which prison?
I thought we established that "goof" being prison slang was a Canadian thing?
Never heard it used in that context. In British prisons, paedo convicts are nonces. Or they used to be anyway.
I became aware of this use of goof back when Mrs b was working in a prison. It really is a thing - you call someone a goof you're just begging for a fight.
I brought it up on Languish years ago and it seemed like it was only a term in Canadian jails.
Quote from: Gups on September 05, 2016, 10:21:09 AM
Never heard it used in that context. In British prisons, paedo convicts are nonces. Or they used to be anyway.
In US prisons, I believe convicted pedophiles are referred to as "pedophiles." Maybe the catchy colloquialism, "kiddie fuckers."
Marti must be looking for a new alt-right insult meme to use. "kind and sensitive person" is soooo May 2016, you know.
Quote from: CountDeMoney on September 05, 2016, 10:47:43 AM
Quote from: Gups on September 05, 2016, 10:21:09 AM
Never heard it used in that context. In British prisons, paedo convicts are nonces. Or they used to be anyway.
In US prisons, I believe convicted pedophiles are referred to as "pedophiles." Maybe the catchy colloquialism, "kiddie fuckers."
You send foot fetishists to prison? Bit harsh but I suppose it keeps Marty out of the country. So there's that.
Quote from: Gups on September 05, 2016, 10:59:04 AM
You send foot fetishists to prison? Bit harsh but I suppose it keeps Marty out of the country. So there's that.
Oh, that's right, I forgot: you're a commonweal. Paedoephaeles. Faeoteuoesuses.
Thanks!
Quote from: Barrister on September 05, 2016, 10:26:58 AM
I became aware of this use of goof back when Mrs b was working in a prison. It really is a thing - you call someone a goof you're just begging for a fight.
I brought it up on Languish years ago and it seemed like it was only a term in Canadian jails.
I don't remember that being discussed. At any rate, I wouldn't know; I've never been in prison in Canada. Or the US, for that matter.
I remember it being discussed, in part because it's something I already knew - having witnessed a handful of over the top bar fights being fought over the usage.
That said, I'm not surprised no one else remembers because outside of people hanging out with Western Canadian less than law abiding citizens, who cares?
Quote from: Barrister on September 05, 2016, 10:26:58 AM
I became aware of this use of goof back when Mrs b was working in a prison. It really is a thing - you call someone a goof you're just begging for a fight.
I brought it up on Languish years ago and it seemed like it was only a term in Canadian jails.
Oh Canada.
In America it's "you god damn mother f'ing n@$#a ass homo bitch"
In Canada it's "silly goose. You're such a goof"
Quote from: Tyr on September 07, 2016, 04:57:52 AM
Quote from: Barrister on September 05, 2016, 10:26:58 AM
I became aware of this use of goof back when Mrs b was working in a prison. It really is a thing - you call someone a goof you're just begging for a fight.
I brought it up on Languish years ago and it seemed like it was only a term in Canadian jails.
Oh Canada.
In America it's "you god damn mother f'ing n@$#a ass homo bitch"
In Canada it's "silly goose. You're such a goof"
Thanks for the first-person perspective on the issue.
"Pedophile" wouldn't be a foot fetishist, as "pedo" is not "foot" in Greek.
Unless you go to a pediatrician if you hurt your foot...
Quote from: Martinus on September 07, 2016, 05:17:34 AM
"Pedophile" wouldn't be a foot fetishist, as "pedo" is not "foot" in Greek.
Unless you go to a pediatrician if you hurt your foot...
Quick search shows medieval latin had -philus modeled after the greek, so you theoretically could do with pedophile as a later latin derivation.
Quote from: Tyr on September 07, 2016, 04:57:52 AM
Quote from: Barrister on September 05, 2016, 10:26:58 AM
I became aware of this use of goof back when Mrs b was working in a prison. It really is a thing - you call someone a goof you're just begging for a fight.
I brought it up on Languish years ago and it seemed like it was only a term in Canadian jails.
Oh Canada.
In America it's "you god damn mother f'ing n@$#a ass homo bitch"
In Canada it's "silly goose. You're such a goof"
Couple thoughts:
1. It really is only prison slang. You call your average canuck a goof and they'll think nothing of it. It's only those who have spent time inside (or hang around those who have) who'll shank you if you call them a goof.
2. That being said, Canadian prisoners are no less prone to profanity than those anywhere else. It would more be "You motherfucking shit-eating goof".
Quote from: Barrister on September 07, 2016, 09:41:16 AM
2. That being said, Canadian prisoners are no less prone to profanity than those anywhere else. It would more be "You motherfucking shit-eating goof".
I got into a bit of a verbal altercation with a chap who'd just come out of lock-up a few years back, and the language was pretty colourful. And yeah "goof" is usually "fucking goof" - at least every time I've heard it. "Bitch" and "rat" are well used too, it seems.
One thing I noted was the usage of "down South" as slang for going to prison.
Quote from: Jacob on September 07, 2016, 11:30:10 AM
Quote from: Barrister on September 07, 2016, 09:41:16 AM
2. That being said, Canadian prisoners are no less prone to profanity than those anywhere else. It would more be "You motherfucking shit-eating goof".
I got into a bit of a verbal altercation with a chap who'd just come out of lock-up a few years back, and the language was pretty colourful. And yeah "goof" is usually "fucking goof" - at least every time I've heard it. "Bitch" and "rat" are well used too, it seems.
One thing I noted was the usage of "down South" as slang for going to prison.
In the Yukon, "going south" in a prison context meant getting a Federal sentence. There are no Federal Penitentiaries in the north, so getting penn time meant you were shipped south.
Quote from: Barrister on September 07, 2016, 11:39:46 AM
In the Yukon, "going south" in a prison context meant getting a Federal sentence. There are no Federal Penitentiaries in the north, so getting penn time meant you were shipped south.
That was probably the usage I came across too. The conversation wasn't such that I'd get much out of inquiring about nuance, but it fits the context.
Meh, Marti's just fishing for a hip new edgy internet insult, that's all.
Quote from: CountDeMoney on September 07, 2016, 12:17:03 PM
Meh, Marti's just fishing for a hip new edgy internet insult, that's all.
I don't think Canadian scrub slang is going to hit the metrics - it's neither hip nor edgy
Remember, the guy's not working with many vowels.
Quote from: Jacob on September 07, 2016, 11:30:10 AM
"Bitch" and "rat" are well used too, it seems.
Do those two mean the same in Canadian prison slang as in US prison slang?
Quote from: dps on September 07, 2016, 12:40:37 PM
Quote from: Jacob on September 07, 2016, 11:30:10 AM
"Bitch" and "rat" are well used too, it seems.
Do those two mean the same in Canadian prison slang as in US prison slang?
Ahyup.
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FxZxn11x.jpg&hash=1bcbca0b4c264939c03c2990d8639cd9f04409de)
Quote from: CountDeMoney on September 07, 2016, 01:26:18 PM
(https://languish.org/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FxZxn11x.jpg&hash=1bcbca0b4c264939c03c2990d8639cd9f04409de)
I'm waiting for the movie. I liked American graffiti.
For the record, I started this thread because I came upon the word "guph" and thought there might be a connection. I am not going around wondering about the word "goof". :P