(no subject)

[dakegra]

question for the hiveMind, specifically my american chums but open to anyone

I'm reading David Simon's The Corner, and a guy goes to buy some drugs which will cost 'two bills'

[Poll #1388629]


I know the answer, from reading a lot further on, but got differing opinions on twitter when I asked

Comments

[paula-abroad.livejournal.com]

not two billions though, eh?

[isihac.livejournal.com]

2 bills - 1 duck and 1 swan

[lexinatrix.livejournal.com]

When dealing with street drug jargon, US dealers and buyers use lots of slang for both the drugs themselves and the money. Some of it is to mark one as part of the sub/counterculture, but more often it is to dodge wiretaps and plainclothes cops.

[dakegra.livejournal.com]

It's surprising how much of the lingo has gone in from watching the first season of The Wire - I'm sure I follow it better than I would have done had I come to the book first.

Someone commented that there are people in the UK who are more conversant with Baltimore street lingo than some New York cops, purely down to The Wire.

[lexinatrix.livejournal.com]

I liked the first season of The Wire (moreso once friends familiar with Baltimore said... yup, that's all true). I lost interest after that, because it seemed the most interesting characters were all supporting cast members, and the story meandered a bit too much for my liking.

[dakegra.livejournal.com]

I started watching season 2 last night on the 'puter. Slow start, but got interesting towards the end of the first episode.

K was horrified to find out that I'd watched it without her - it's due to start on proper tv again soon and we watched the first season together (ish).

I said that it was better this way, as when she had questions about who was who, I'd know the answers!

[elaby.livejournal.com]

I've never heard anyone refer to a certain denomination of money as "bills" O_o It sounds like he's being deliberately vague. Maybe?