Towards the functions of prison slang

Abstract

The phenomenon of “prison slang” has always raised much controversy. There have been many attempts of different scholars, at different points in history, to fully cover the subject in question, and especially one of its aspects, namely the functions that this particular language variety may serve. Nevertheless, the issue of functions of “prison argot” has always received merely fragmentary treatment, and hence it is difficult to find widely and unequivocally accepted conclusions. The paper provides a consistent overview of the subject with special reference to the following functions of “prison slang”: <SOLIDARITY AND LOYALTY FUNCTION>, <IDENITY EXPRESSING FUNCTION>, <SECRETIVE FUNCTION>, <ALLEVIATING FUNCTION> and <INMATE RECOGNITION FUNCTION>.