Query: "ding-ding" in cant or slang

Grant Barrett gbarrett at WORLDNEWYORK.ORG
Wed Nov 16 04:34:09 UTC 2005


I think Erin's right: I think it is a trolley or streetcar. Classic
setup for a pickpocket to work his hooks: close-pressed bodies,
frequent change of marks, quick exits when necessary. Trolleys have
(had) bells. n Hong Kong they do sometimes call a streetcar just
that: a ding ding. In Japan streetcars are sometimes called _chin
chin densha_, meaning 'ding ding trains.' Those two examples show the
imitative name is not unlikely (especially considering the long
history of "ding" as an imitation of the sound of a bell).

On Nov 15, 2005, at 18:19, Erin McKean wrote:
> Cohen, Gerald Leonard wrote:
>> The example is: "That guy is one of the best wires that ever
>> worked a ding ding in this town."
>>
> My guess would be "streetcar," but this may just be because of too
> much
> time spent with the under-five set, as opposed to the criminal
> element.

Grant Barrett
gbarrett at worldnewyork.org
http://www.doubletongued.org/



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