# Terms that are only ever heard in certain sub-cultures **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 30, 2013, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terms-that-are-only-ever-heard-in-certain-sub-cultures/667585 "2013-08-30T15:56:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![jayrey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/47e85d/32.png) [@jayrey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayrey)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2013, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terms-that-are-only-ever-heard-in-certain-sub-cultures/667585/21 "2013-08-30T20:52:11Z")
In dressage, the phrase “inside leg to outside rein” means the rider should use her inside leg, that is, the leg on the side of the horse away from the rail, to bend the horse’s ribcage to the outside (toward the rail), which causes the horse to stand more vertically and “fill out,” or take up more contact in, the outside rein (the rein on the side closest to the rail). The goal is to make the horse travel straighter and more lightly. ---
**Author:** ![mcgato](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac8455/32.png) [@mcgato](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mcgato)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2013, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terms-that-are-only-ever-heard-in-certain-sub-cultures/667585/22 "2013-08-30T20:57:22Z")
In running circles, it is common to hear about a fartlek. It is a training method to run continuously, but vary the speed of the run. So easy for a while, then hard for a while, repeat until the workout is over. It comes from Swedish for “speed play.” ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2013, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terms-that-are-only-ever-heard-in-certain-sub-cultures/667585/23 "2013-08-30T21:22:31Z")
My ex used to be in film and video, and they have TONS of impenetrable jargon. Not quite as bad as the Army but close. Apple boxes, MOS, C-stands, C47s… (That last one is probably the most jargony one.) ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2013, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terms-that-are-only-ever-heard-in-certain-sub-cultures/667585/24 "2013-08-30T21:25:21Z")
> [@Labrador\_Deceiver](#): > > In restaurant-speak, “in the weeds” just means “really, really busy”. In my experience, it means more than just busy. It means that you’re overwhelmed, falling behind, and missing stuff. If you’re really really busy and keeping up on everything, then you’re not in the weeds. > [@miss\_elizabeth](#): > > “Frogging” is a knitter’s term. It’s when you take apart a project; you have to rip it, rip it. 🙂 And sometimes, you don’t need to frog the whole thing, but you do need to tink a few stitches. Tink is knit backwards. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2013, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terms-that-are-only-ever-heard-in-certain-sub-cultures/667585/25 "2013-08-30T21:49:50Z")
> [@Zsofia](#): > > My ex used to be in film and video, and they have TONS of impenetrable jargon. Not quite as bad as the Army but close. Apple boxes, MOS, C-stands, C47s… > > (That last one is probably the most jargony one.) Types of apple boxes include: manmakers, pancakes. Types of C-stands include: Tall Boys, Babies. Types of lights include: Moles, Tiny Moles, Mini Moles, Mickeys, Mickey Moles, Mighty Moles, Tweenies, BeTweenies, Babies, Juniors, Nooklites. Clamps include: C-clamps, G-clamps, Mafer clamps, cheseboroughs (commonly referred to as “cheeseburgers”). I work in lighting, see. And yeah, we have a TON of jargon. Between my work and my hobbies, I can go whole days communicating with dozens of people successfully while using less than 100 “regular” words. And ftr, I won’t reveal what a C47 is; I’ll let people look it up if they’re interested. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2013, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terms-that-are-only-ever-heard-in-certain-sub-cultures/667585/26 "2013-08-30T22:39:01Z")
When I sold RVs, a “too-high” was any Asian person who came on the lot. This was because no matter what price you quoted, the response was “too high”. I never saw an Asian person purchase an RV of any sort. ---
**Author:** ![Girlundone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/919ad9/32.png) [@Girlundone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girlundone)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2013, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terms-that-are-only-ever-heard-in-certain-sub-cultures/667585/27 "2013-08-30T22:49:43Z")
In the public school system, the acronym usage is ridiculous. Here are just a few that one would say, hear, read, or write on a weekly basis (some of these are specific only to Florida): IEP, ESE, RTI, FCAT, PPP, DOK, ELL, AOR, FAIR, DRA, PGP or PDP, EOC. People in the world of swinging almost always say “We are in _the lifestyle._” The phrase “the lifestyle” means the swinging lifestyle. Also, in the lifestyle, a single female swinger is known as a unicorn. ---
**Author:** ![Rodgers01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@Rodgers01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodgers01)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2013, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terms-that-are-only-ever-heard-in-certain-sub-cultures/667585/28 "2013-08-30T23:05:09Z")
> [@Labrador\_Deceiver](#): > > I think a lot of jargon is used to separate the insiders from the outsiders, whether it be the military or a group of golfers. Sure, but the military just does it to the extreme. My father and brother are (or were, in my father’s case) soldiers, and they can be completely incomprehensible when talking, far, far more so than any other group of professionals or hobbyists I’ve been around. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2013, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terms-that-are-only-ever-heard-in-certain-sub-cultures/667585/29 "2013-08-31T01:34:22Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > Outside of either of those contexts, I’ve always used/taken it to mean “into something difficult/sticky” > > As in “I don’t want to get deep into the weeds on this but the quick answer to your question on religion is…” In corporate speak, it’s details/zoomed in. The programmer is in weeds but the head of programming only knows it at the 30,000’ level. Medical/EMS has it’s own language, too. A trip report from an ambulance run has more acronyms than English & even ½ of the English is A&P (anatomy & physiology) words ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2013, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terms-that-are-only-ever-heard-in-certain-sub-cultures/667585/30 "2013-08-31T01:37:59Z")
MG, TKAA, BOR, ICSFM, WGFA, SMFM, YBYB…all seen commonly on message boards discussing The Who. ---
**Author:** ![that\_darn\_cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/59ef9b/32.png) [@that\_darn\_cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/that_darn_cat)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2013, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terms-that-are-only-ever-heard-in-certain-sub-cultures/667585/31 "2013-08-31T02:05:26Z")
Homebrewing: Vorloauf, sparge (batch or fly), pitch, cold crash, SWMBO (not exclusive to brewing), BMC, FYB, mash, strike, dough in, mash out,SMASH, skeeterpee, SG, FG, ABV, points, degrees Plato, IBU, CFC, conical, HLT, MT, BK, BIAB, can and kilo, wash, slant, cake, corny, sanke, SS braid, keggle, keezer, and I’m sure I’m forgetting many more. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2013, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terms-that-are-only-ever-heard-in-certain-sub-cultures/667585/32 "2013-08-31T02:59:49Z")
Oh god. This early, I’m sorting through the PEPs and IEPs and 504s trying to figure out who goes to Tier II or Tier III or gets a referral to SST in consideration for EC–and that’s not even getting into my meeting with the AIG coordinator to figure out who gets ESG and who gets CSG or even ISG. The MAP tests are done, MClass (that is, DORF, DAZE, and TRC) is ongoing, the BOY test is coming up, and I’ve got the WTW inventories to grade and some TC units to integrate with my grant. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2013, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terms-that-are-only-ever-heard-in-certain-sub-cultures/667585/33 "2013-08-31T03:24:25Z")
And don’t forget to put a cover sheet on your TPS report. You did get the memo, right? ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2013, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terms-that-are-only-ever-heard-in-certain-sub-cultures/667585/34 "2013-08-31T03:34:16Z")
Motorcyclists refer to “cagers” and “cages” (drivers of 4-wheeled vehicles and the vehicles they drive), “squids” (riders, usually young men, who ride sportbikes recklessly while wearing stupid attire like tank tops, shorts, and flip-flops–and often, if legally required to wear one, a gaudy, expensive full-face helmet), “crotch rockets” (overpowered sportbikes), and “one-percenters” (“real” biker types–the kind you don’t want to mess with, as opposed to Bob from Accounting getting out on his brand-new Hog for a weekend ride). ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2013, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terms-that-are-only-ever-heard-in-certain-sub-cultures/667585/35 "2013-08-31T03:52:06Z")
I worked at a bowling alley for a while. A turkey is three strikes in a row, a Brooklyn refers to a strike made by the ball hitting the left of the headpin (for a right-handed bowler), and a no-tap is a tournament where a nine counts as a strike. In printing, a quoin (pr. coin) is a device used to squeeze the pieces of type together. I seem to remember something about the drawers the type was kept in- ---
**Author:** ![tarnation\_eudemonia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c77e96/32.png) [@tarnation\_eudemonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tarnation_eudemonia)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2013, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terms-that-are-only-ever-heard-in-certain-sub-cultures/667585/36 "2013-08-31T05:07:04Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > MG, TKAA, BOR, ICSFM, WGFA, SMFM, YBYB…all seen commonly on message boards discussing The Who. But once you know the context is the Who, the mystery dissipates completely… ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2013, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terms-that-are-only-ever-heard-in-certain-sub-cultures/667585/37 "2013-08-31T08:48:51Z")
Jargon used to bug the living shit out of me when I worked for a very large financial institution. I had worked on the business side, and then on the IT side, so was familiar with both “languages”, and it was very common to attend meetings where there was nothing but mutual incomprehension. I (and a handful of others similarly cursed) always ended up taking control of such meetings, acting as a translator, so that some understanding could actually take place. Man, I don’t miss that at all. ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2013, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terms-that-are-only-ever-heard-in-certain-sub-cultures/667585/38 "2013-08-31T11:04:33Z")
Isn’t “In the weeds” a golfing term? As is “My ball landed far off course, out in the weeds, and it’s going to take a ton of strokes to even get back on the green. I am pretty much screwed.” That is how I have always understood it. ---
**Author:** ![Soulcatcher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Soulcatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soulcatcher)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2013, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terms-that-are-only-ever-heard-in-certain-sub-cultures/667585/39 "2013-08-31T11:32:44Z")
In engineering we generally use “in the weeds” to refer to a presentation or discussion that has gotten into a level of detail that is inappropriate for the comprehension of the group or the time available. Sort of the opposite of a “high level discussion”. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2013, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terms-that-are-only-ever-heard-in-certain-sub-cultures/667585/40 "2013-08-31T14:02:37Z")
Not exclusive words, but specific meanings are meant for photography: circle of confusion acid fix barn doors bleed (also in printing) burning in chromes gamma (toe and shoulder are related terms) that’s just a few. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terms-that-are-only-ever-heard-in-certain-sub-cultures/667585.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/terms-that-are-only-ever-heard-in-certain-sub-cultures/667585.md?page=3)