Street Slang and Coded Language

[RickyD]

I was thinking about coded language in the form of street slang, particularly about the terms and phrases used for illegal activities. Just curious, as the idea of subculture use of language, the drug culture, for example, had come to mind. I had also thought to focus on liberal vs conservative use of language to see what possible slang is being used on either side of the aisle. Basically, I was looking into the current popular use of speech, the leading edge of our living language. It never got that far before the search engine bias took over.

I started with street slang and found that it apparently began with escaped slaves on the Underground Railroad and later evolved in urban areas where blacks migrated after the Civil War, and became modern street slang. I got mostly hip hop references from that search, and it wasn't inclusive of the slang used by white people. So I changed the search to "street slang coded language", and suddenly I found references to white coded language almost exclusively. 

The bias of these reports was plainly evident, as apparently, the only slang white people use is for racist references in the form of commonly used words. Some examples include . . .
 

https://languageplease.org/coded-language/

The above quote is the line of reasoning used for white street slang apparently. Now, no matter how neutral the term, the left will characterize it as "coded" and racist if it is used by the right. In addition, they literally believe that the Trump MAGA conservatives developed and refined this conservative-coded language they claim white people are using against people of color.

There are some that apply this idea to both sides . . .
 

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/16/style...itics.html

Still, the bulk of "coded" language is something that is being characterized as white slang used to conceal racist comments. Basically, they scrutinize every word white conservatives say in order to reveal the racist/fascist nature they believe white people are born with. I believe that their premise is that white people are natural born racists, and so everything they say or do is racist at its very core.

This extreme attitude is actually more common than you'd believe, but to be expected with the level of hate that the liberal left has for the conservative right. I can see now how these extreme leftists are becoming so violent as to start a shooting war with the MAGA minions. They seriously believe white people are "unredeemable deplorables" and must be eliminated "by any means necessary". I bet they think that killing a white conservative, or even a black one, is doing the world a great favor, that it isn't a murder but a justifiable homicide or even a mercy killing.

But that would mean somewhere we woupd have to have this writen or something right. I mean I guess its possible for people to word of mouth it but how do we all end up on the same page for the code?!? Or is their contention we are born with instinctual knowledge of this coded slang that evolves over time with different words and such???

So many holes in this logic a fishing net is more solid.

Even drug slang has to be spread or discussed before hand for it to work...ask me how I know lol. I have for sure seen the slang/code breakdown cause the other side didn't get it.

[IdeomotorPrisoner]

I was thinking about coded language in the form of street slang, particularly about the terms and phrases used for illegal activities. Just curious, as the idea of subculture use of language, the drug culture, for example, had come to mind. I had also thought to focus on liberal vs conservative use of language to see what possible slang is being used on either side of the aisle. Basically, I was looking into the current popular use of speech, the leading edge of our living language. It never got that far before the search engine bias took over.

I started with street slang and found that it apparently began with escaped slaves on the Underground Railroad and later evolved in urban areas where blacks migrated after the Civil War, and became modern street slang. I got mostly hip hop references from that search, and it wasn't inclusive of the slang used by white people. So I changed the search to "street slang coded language", and suddenly I found references to white coded language almost exclusively. 

The bias of these reports was plainly evident, as apparently, the only slang white people use is for racist references in the form of commonly used words. Some examples include . . .
 

https://languageplease.org/coded-language/

The above quote is the line of reasoning used for white street slang apparently. Now, no matter how neutral the term, the left will characterize it as "coded" and racist if it is used by the right. In addition, they literally believe that the Trump MAGA conservatives developed and refined this conservative-coded language they claim white people are using against people of color.

There are some that apply this idea to both sides . . .
 

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/16/style...itics.html

Still, the bulk of "coded" language is something that is being characterized as white slang used to conceal racist comments. Basically, they scrutinize every word white conservatives say in order to reveal the racist/fascist nature they believe white people are born with. I believe that their premise is that white people are natural born racists, and so everything they say or do is racist at its very core.

This extreme attitude is actually more common than you'd believe, but to be expected with the level of hate that the liberal left has for the conservative right. I can see now how these extreme leftists are becoming so violent as to start a shooting war with the MAGA minions. They seriously believe white people are "unredeemable deplorables" and must be eliminated "by any means necessary". I bet they think that killing a white conservative, or even a black one, is doing the world a great favor, that it isn't a murder but a justifiable homicide or even a mercy killing.

If inner city = black and massage parlor = asian in coding, is this how you do it?

Black:

Ghetto, crack, watermelon, malt liquor, grape soda, fried chicken, Rod Lobster, lowriders, basketball, armed robbery...

White:

Trailer park, cocaine, corn, whiskey, sparkling water, pot roast, Macaroni Grill, muscle cars, Nascar, larceny...

Latino:

Barrio, drug trafficking, avocados, tequila, horchata, tacos, kitchen staff, even more ridiculous and glittery lowriders, futbol, racketeering...

Dear god! They've discovered stereotypes exist! Humor and equal opportunity is the best way to take those down.

** But I'll agree there are everyday things that have unspoken stereotypical connotations to certain groups, but it seems equally indoctrinated and selectively used by the dominant group the world over.  In other places there are institutions against different minority or outsider groups that pervades language. 

Everyone does the latent supremacy shit.

[GENERAL EYES]

About seven or ten years ago I was wearing a "Star Wars" shirt locally with the Empire Cog on it and some guy yelled that I was a "facscist" out the window of his passing car as I walked to the bookstore....we have a Local 501st brigade where folks dress up for kids charities and events and I'm thinking......does he really think this is a coded "dog whistle" or something or just he just REALLY hates The Empire.

Anyway, it didn't bother me one cause the local community are all Star Wars fans and I made a lot of little kids smile that day just by wearing the shirt.

I never got any grief over my Boba Fett or "Trooper" shirt, so I dunno.....the left wing media was all over "dog whistles" during the time so maybe he was just so brain washed he felt the need to lash out and be rude.

I asked my friends about it and if it was a "dog whistle" and they were all like "Nah, it it weren't for the Empire, we wouldn't have jobs."

Inside joke about corporatism and retail work.

None of my neighbors (or anyone sane) even batted an eye unless they were smiling and going along with the fandom.

Anyway, God is great, beer is good and people are crazy.