Fish

[Your Name]

In Greek slang "fish" is the label used for anyone who is new. LIKE A FISH
OUT OF WATER. After a few trials, the old timers (:military, college, a
group of people, the regular customers of a coffee shop etc) determine
whether the "fish" is a "big fish" meaning he is a "fish ... big time" or
he's not a fish at all (because he knows better and more). A "fish" is
someone who doesn't fight back (no hands to fight back) and/or someone who
trembles (like a fish out of water).

Cheers,

Lina Hawkins
Project Coordinator
Berlitz GlobalNET Translations
525 Broadway
Santa Monica, CA 90401
310.260.7138 tel
310.576.6086 fax


-----Original Message-----
From: Elizabeth Gregory [mailto:e-gregory at TAMU.EDU]
Sent: Friday, January 26, 2001 7:39 AM
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
Subject: Re: Fish


At Texas A&M, calling freshmen "fish" seems to derive from the vocabulary of
the Corps of Cadets:
http://outfits.tamu.edu/aggieband/vocab.html

Because of A&M's long history as a military school--and the originally
military traditions that have been enthusiastically adopted by the entire
student body--almost everyone knows at least some "Corps-speak."

Elizabeth Gregory
Texas A&M University

<<< cbernstn at MEMPHIS.EDU  1/26  8:18a >>>
Texas A&M Univ has "fish camp" for students before their freshman year.

Cynthia Bernstein
cbernstn at memphis.edu
  ----- Original Message -----
  From: susan
  To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
  Sent: Friday, January 26, 2001 10:47 AM
  Subject: Fish


  Any ideas on where the prison term "fish" for the new man on the
cell-block originated?
  Thank you very much,
  Susan Gilbert