Re: Thieves slang

[Joshua Horowitz <horowitz...>]

Wolf, 

According to the rules of thieves latin, this could be a manipulation of
the Hebrew word Khotse, meaning half. In Rotwelsh (Yiddish based thieves
latin) indeed the word khotser denoted 50 Pfennig (i.e. 1/2 German Mark) 

Blatnoi iazyk, i.e. Russian based thieves latin may well have  morphed
the khotser differently into Khazerl to mean 1/2 of a 10-note Rubel.
Just a guess.  

An accordion in Russia was pretty expensive before the war, costing
between 25-30 Rubels. 20 Rubels could buy you a cow or horse in the
Ukraine. With a 5-Rubel coin  you could buy a lot of Pork to get sick
on.  
 
Know the tune, Simkhe Khazer furt kayn stambul? about the pig who tries
to escape his ill fate by travelling to istanbul? When he arrives he's
greeted with a butcher's knife and slaughtered. 
Josh

> He spoke a delicious folk Yiddish.
> Among some of his 'thieve's/prison" slang , was the word
> "khazer'l" ("piggy") used to denote a five-ruble coin.
  
> Josh, Paul -- Any thoughts on the origin of this word
> besides perhaps the heft of such a gold coin?
 
 Wolf


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