Post by Shangas on Dec 10, 2007 20:10:58 GMT 10
A
Associate. [Noun] A person who deals with the Mafia and who may or may not become a soldier in the Family whom he does business with.
B
Books. [Noun] A common euphamism for membership into the Mafia. If a mafioso dies and there's a 'job vacancy', then the books are 'opened' to admit new members. If there are no new members to the Family, then the books remained 'closed'. This is strictly a euphamism for membership into the Mafia. Nothing is EVER written down.
Button/Buttonman. A soldier. A made man. A wiseguy.
Bust. [Verb] A raid by the police. (Eg: A drugs bust.).
Busted. [Verb. Past Tense.] To be arrested by the cops.
C
Canary. [Noun] Someone who has broken the Omerta by talking to the police (ie - 'Singing').
Clip. [Verb] To murder someone. (Eg: "I clipped him").
Chased. [Verb] To be kicked out of the Mafia. (Eg: "We chased him off"). Mafioso being chased away from his Family should consider himself extremely lucky. It means that they've decided not to kill him. Which is the usual punishment for misdomeanors.
Clock. [Verb] 1. To keep track of someone's movements / 2. To hit someone. (Eg: "I clocked him in the face").
The Commission. [P. Noun.] The 'ruling body' of all Mafia activities within the United States of America. Founded by Lucky Luciano in the 1930s. The Commission sets the rules of what is acceptable behaviour and what is not. It regulates what rackets the Mafia can and cannot deal in. The Commission also settles disputes between families and will kill anyone who goes against it's orders.
Contract. [Noun] A well-known Mafia/gangster term. A 'contract' is a Mafia-ordered assasination/murder assignment. Contracts may be called off someone (ie - cancelled), but only if the person who asks to have the contract called off, has enough influence to persuade the boss that the victim of the contract should be allowed to live. Frank Sinatra once had a contract placed out on him. It was called off at the last minute when the boss who ordered the hit realised his girlfriend loved Sinatra's singing.
Crew. [Collective noun] A group of soldiers who take orders from a caporegime. (See 'Mafia Factsheet for 'caporegime').
Cugine. [Noun] Someone who wants to, and who is elligable to get 'made'.
D
No entries.
E
Enforcer. [Noun] A tough-guy who uses his muscles, size or other intimidating qualities to threaten or physically harm someone who doesn't co-operate with the family that he works for. In 'The Godfather', Luca Brasi is an enforcer. (See. 'Mafia Factsheet' for Enforcer).
F
Friend of mine. A third person who is not part of a Mafia family, but for whom a made member can vouch for (that he's honest, smart, a good worker etc).
Friend of ours. An introduction of one made member to another by a yet another member. It lets the two introductees know that they can talk freely with this new man about 'family business'.
G
Get a place ready. To find a burial site for a dead body.
Gift. [Noun] A bribe. To a judge, policeman, juror...anyone.
Give a pass. To grant a reprieve (a pardon) from being murdered.
H
Hot. [Verb] Something that's wanted by the police, or that was involved in the crime. (Eg: If a gun is 'hot', it means that it was used in a crime and should be disposed of, before the police find it and hold it as evidence).
I
Ice. [Verb] To kill someone. (Eg: "I iced him").
J
The Joint. [Noun] Prison.
K
No entries.
L
Loanshark. Someone who lends mob-money (ie - Money belonging to the Family), and who charges an extremely high interest rate.
Lupara. [Noun] A sawed-off shotgun. Used in Mafia vendettas and mob-hits.
M
Made. [Verb] To be sworn into the Mafia. Usually after committing your first official Mafia murder (A contract).
Hitting/going to the mattresses. [Verb] To go to war with another family or criminal faction.
Meat-eater. [Noun] Corrupt policeman.
Moustache Pete. [Noun] An older-generation mobster/gangster.
The Mob. [Noun] A euphamism for the Mafia. A 'mobster' is someone who is in the Mafia. A 'gangster' is simply the member of a gang.
N
No entries.
O
Off the record. An action taken without the knowledge (or approval) of the Family. Mobsters doing activities off the record may be killed by their own family.
On the record. An action taken with the approval/allowance and knowledge of the Family.
Omerta. [Noun] The Mafia code of silence. Breaking any rule of the Omerta is punishable by death, without exception.
P
Piece. [Noun] A gun.
Pinched. [Verb] Arrested.
Pop. [Verb] To murder.
Q
No entries.
R
Rat. [Noun] A member who violates the Omerta.
S.
Stool Pidgeon. [Noun] Same thing as a 'rat'.
Stoolie. [Noun] A Mafia contact whom the mob might go to for information.
Sit-down. [Noun] Another very common Mafia term. A 'sit-down' is a meeting; usually between two or more families, where the aim of the meeting is to settle disputes or mob-wars.
T
No entries.
U
No entries.
V
Vouch for. [Verb] To personally guarantee, on pain of death, the reputation of someone who is doing business with the Family.
W
Take a walk. To discuss important mob-activities or information while walking around the block. Doing this makes the conversation hard to overhear with the talkers constantly moving, and lowers the risk of someone eavesdropping on the conversation.
Whack. [Verb] Another extremely common mobster/gangster term; meaning to kill someone. (Ie: "We took him to an empty warehouse and whacked him").
X
No entries.
Y
Young turks. [Noun] A 'Young Turk' is a mafioso of a younger generation. They are less traditional than the older mobsters and are less likely to stick to the old fashioned rules of the Mafia.
Z.
No entries.
Mafia Ranks:
Until recently, most people didn't know how the Mafia was structured. Information leaked by arrested mafiosi, and the work of such FBI agents as the infamous "Donnie Brasco" (Real name Joseph Pistone), however, has revealed to the wider community the ranks and the responsibilities of the various members of the Mafia.
From the highest to the lowest, these are the traditional ranks of the Sicilian Mafia. All terms are in Sicilian:
1.Boss of Bosses (Capo di Tutti Capi)
The 'Boss of Bosses'. This was the most powerful man in the Mafia. He was the head man of the head family of the Mafia. The King.
Really, the rank of 'Capo di Tutti Capi', is not 'given' to a mob-boss. It is TAKEN. A mob-boss will give himself this title if he thinks he is the most powerful member of the Mafia. Since it is a title which is constantly changing and of which records are not kept, lists of "boss of bosses" cannot be found. One can only assume who these people were. A "real-life" example might be Don Vito Andolini-Corleone, in The Godfather.
2. Retired Don (Capo de capi Re.)
Not quite as powerful as the Boss of Bosses. This rank was usually given to senior or retired members of the Mafia, who had 'been in the business' long enough to deserve the respect and the title to go with it.
3.Don (Capo Crimine.)
More commonly known as a 'Don', a Capo Crimine is the head of an individual Mafia family, who controls what his family does, and who gives the orders on what various other members of the Family are supposed to do. Michael and Vito are the Dons of the Corleone Mafia Family.
4.Underboss (Capo Bastone.)
This is the fourth rank from the top, and the second-most powerful rank within an individual Mafia family. Known in English as an 'Underboss', the Capo Bastone will handle the more intricate details of a Mafia family's operations, and gets more involved in daily mob activities than the Don. In 'The Godfather Part II', Fredo is the underboss.
5. Consiglieri (Alt. Consiglierie).
Regardless of how this rank is spelt, the job of a consiglieri is the same. As the name might suggest, or hint, the job of a consiglieri is to 'counsel'. That is, to give advice to the Don, the underboss, and to give out orders to the caporegimes, and also to resolve disputes within the family. He is an advisor, a judge, a messageboy...but...contrary to Tom Hagen's role in The Godfather, a consiglieri is not...or does not...have to be a qualified lawyer. Being a lawyer is simply an ADVANTAGE, but is by no means a necessity.
6. Capo (Caporegime)
Often shortened to just 'Capo', a caporegime is a lieutenant or captain within a Mafia family. These guys take their orders from the Don, the Underboss or the consiglieri. Their job is to watch over and control their crew. Their crew consists of around ten made men which they give orders to. The soldiers Earn for their Capos, who take a large percentage of the earnings and then give a percentage of that up to the boss. Capos are high up in the chain of command, but often do dirty work and go on jobs with their soldiers. Thing of a Capo as a mini boss, they control their own mini family of men. Capos often control certain areas of their families turf, or certain rackets in their families business.
7. Soldiers (Sgarrista or Soldati.)
Soldati. Meaning 'soldier'. These are the foot-soldiers of the Mafia. The hoods, the gangsters. They are the ones who do the dirty work. The murders, drivebys, protection-money collection and disposal of dead bodies. A single Mafia family may have just a few, or it may have hundreds of soldiers. These are the men who do most of the work that get a Mafia family it's power. Al Neri and Paulie Gatto are soldiers within the Corleone Mafia Family.
8.Associates (Giovane D'Onore)
Known in English as 'associates', these people are NOT members of the Mafia. But this doesn't mean that they're not important. An associate is like a business-partner to the Mafia. They come to the Mafia with information, business-deals and ideas. They are a crucial part to any family's power. These are the lowest ranking members of the mafia structure.
Associate. [Noun] A person who deals with the Mafia and who may or may not become a soldier in the Family whom he does business with.
B
Books. [Noun] A common euphamism for membership into the Mafia. If a mafioso dies and there's a 'job vacancy', then the books are 'opened' to admit new members. If there are no new members to the Family, then the books remained 'closed'. This is strictly a euphamism for membership into the Mafia. Nothing is EVER written down.
Button/Buttonman. A soldier. A made man. A wiseguy.
Bust. [Verb] A raid by the police. (Eg: A drugs bust.).
Busted. [Verb. Past Tense.] To be arrested by the cops.
C
Canary. [Noun] Someone who has broken the Omerta by talking to the police (ie - 'Singing').
Clip. [Verb] To murder someone. (Eg: "I clipped him").
Chased. [Verb] To be kicked out of the Mafia. (Eg: "We chased him off"). Mafioso being chased away from his Family should consider himself extremely lucky. It means that they've decided not to kill him. Which is the usual punishment for misdomeanors.
Clock. [Verb] 1. To keep track of someone's movements / 2. To hit someone. (Eg: "I clocked him in the face").
The Commission. [P. Noun.] The 'ruling body' of all Mafia activities within the United States of America. Founded by Lucky Luciano in the 1930s. The Commission sets the rules of what is acceptable behaviour and what is not. It regulates what rackets the Mafia can and cannot deal in. The Commission also settles disputes between families and will kill anyone who goes against it's orders.
Contract. [Noun] A well-known Mafia/gangster term. A 'contract' is a Mafia-ordered assasination/murder assignment. Contracts may be called off someone (ie - cancelled), but only if the person who asks to have the contract called off, has enough influence to persuade the boss that the victim of the contract should be allowed to live. Frank Sinatra once had a contract placed out on him. It was called off at the last minute when the boss who ordered the hit realised his girlfriend loved Sinatra's singing.
Crew. [Collective noun] A group of soldiers who take orders from a caporegime. (See 'Mafia Factsheet for 'caporegime').
Cugine. [Noun] Someone who wants to, and who is elligable to get 'made'.
D
No entries.
E
Enforcer. [Noun] A tough-guy who uses his muscles, size or other intimidating qualities to threaten or physically harm someone who doesn't co-operate with the family that he works for. In 'The Godfather', Luca Brasi is an enforcer. (See. 'Mafia Factsheet' for Enforcer).
F
Friend of mine. A third person who is not part of a Mafia family, but for whom a made member can vouch for (that he's honest, smart, a good worker etc).
Friend of ours. An introduction of one made member to another by a yet another member. It lets the two introductees know that they can talk freely with this new man about 'family business'.
G
Get a place ready. To find a burial site for a dead body.
Gift. [Noun] A bribe. To a judge, policeman, juror...anyone.
Give a pass. To grant a reprieve (a pardon) from being murdered.
H
Hot. [Verb] Something that's wanted by the police, or that was involved in the crime. (Eg: If a gun is 'hot', it means that it was used in a crime and should be disposed of, before the police find it and hold it as evidence).
I
Ice. [Verb] To kill someone. (Eg: "I iced him").
J
The Joint. [Noun] Prison.
K
No entries.
L
Loanshark. Someone who lends mob-money (ie - Money belonging to the Family), and who charges an extremely high interest rate.
Lupara. [Noun] A sawed-off shotgun. Used in Mafia vendettas and mob-hits.
M
Made. [Verb] To be sworn into the Mafia. Usually after committing your first official Mafia murder (A contract).
Hitting/going to the mattresses. [Verb] To go to war with another family or criminal faction.
Meat-eater. [Noun] Corrupt policeman.
Moustache Pete. [Noun] An older-generation mobster/gangster.
The Mob. [Noun] A euphamism for the Mafia. A 'mobster' is someone who is in the Mafia. A 'gangster' is simply the member of a gang.
N
No entries.
O
Off the record. An action taken without the knowledge (or approval) of the Family. Mobsters doing activities off the record may be killed by their own family.
On the record. An action taken with the approval/allowance and knowledge of the Family.
Omerta. [Noun] The Mafia code of silence. Breaking any rule of the Omerta is punishable by death, without exception.
P
Piece. [Noun] A gun.
Pinched. [Verb] Arrested.
Pop. [Verb] To murder.
Q
No entries.
R
Rat. [Noun] A member who violates the Omerta.
S.
Stool Pidgeon. [Noun] Same thing as a 'rat'.
Stoolie. [Noun] A Mafia contact whom the mob might go to for information.
Sit-down. [Noun] Another very common Mafia term. A 'sit-down' is a meeting; usually between two or more families, where the aim of the meeting is to settle disputes or mob-wars.
T
No entries.
U
No entries.
V
Vouch for. [Verb] To personally guarantee, on pain of death, the reputation of someone who is doing business with the Family.
W
Take a walk. To discuss important mob-activities or information while walking around the block. Doing this makes the conversation hard to overhear with the talkers constantly moving, and lowers the risk of someone eavesdropping on the conversation.
Whack. [Verb] Another extremely common mobster/gangster term; meaning to kill someone. (Ie: "We took him to an empty warehouse and whacked him").
X
No entries.
Y
Young turks. [Noun] A 'Young Turk' is a mafioso of a younger generation. They are less traditional than the older mobsters and are less likely to stick to the old fashioned rules of the Mafia.
Z.
No entries.
Mafia Ranks:
Until recently, most people didn't know how the Mafia was structured. Information leaked by arrested mafiosi, and the work of such FBI agents as the infamous "Donnie Brasco" (Real name Joseph Pistone), however, has revealed to the wider community the ranks and the responsibilities of the various members of the Mafia.
From the highest to the lowest, these are the traditional ranks of the Sicilian Mafia. All terms are in Sicilian:
1.Boss of Bosses (Capo di Tutti Capi)
The 'Boss of Bosses'. This was the most powerful man in the Mafia. He was the head man of the head family of the Mafia. The King.
Really, the rank of 'Capo di Tutti Capi', is not 'given' to a mob-boss. It is TAKEN. A mob-boss will give himself this title if he thinks he is the most powerful member of the Mafia. Since it is a title which is constantly changing and of which records are not kept, lists of "boss of bosses" cannot be found. One can only assume who these people were. A "real-life" example might be Don Vito Andolini-Corleone, in The Godfather.
2. Retired Don (Capo de capi Re.)
Not quite as powerful as the Boss of Bosses. This rank was usually given to senior or retired members of the Mafia, who had 'been in the business' long enough to deserve the respect and the title to go with it.
3.Don (Capo Crimine.)
More commonly known as a 'Don', a Capo Crimine is the head of an individual Mafia family, who controls what his family does, and who gives the orders on what various other members of the Family are supposed to do. Michael and Vito are the Dons of the Corleone Mafia Family.
4.Underboss (Capo Bastone.)
This is the fourth rank from the top, and the second-most powerful rank within an individual Mafia family. Known in English as an 'Underboss', the Capo Bastone will handle the more intricate details of a Mafia family's operations, and gets more involved in daily mob activities than the Don. In 'The Godfather Part II', Fredo is the underboss.
5. Consiglieri (Alt. Consiglierie).
Regardless of how this rank is spelt, the job of a consiglieri is the same. As the name might suggest, or hint, the job of a consiglieri is to 'counsel'. That is, to give advice to the Don, the underboss, and to give out orders to the caporegimes, and also to resolve disputes within the family. He is an advisor, a judge, a messageboy...but...contrary to Tom Hagen's role in The Godfather, a consiglieri is not...or does not...have to be a qualified lawyer. Being a lawyer is simply an ADVANTAGE, but is by no means a necessity.
6. Capo (Caporegime)
Often shortened to just 'Capo', a caporegime is a lieutenant or captain within a Mafia family. These guys take their orders from the Don, the Underboss or the consiglieri. Their job is to watch over and control their crew. Their crew consists of around ten made men which they give orders to. The soldiers Earn for their Capos, who take a large percentage of the earnings and then give a percentage of that up to the boss. Capos are high up in the chain of command, but often do dirty work and go on jobs with their soldiers. Thing of a Capo as a mini boss, they control their own mini family of men. Capos often control certain areas of their families turf, or certain rackets in their families business.
7. Soldiers (Sgarrista or Soldati.)
Soldati. Meaning 'soldier'. These are the foot-soldiers of the Mafia. The hoods, the gangsters. They are the ones who do the dirty work. The murders, drivebys, protection-money collection and disposal of dead bodies. A single Mafia family may have just a few, or it may have hundreds of soldiers. These are the men who do most of the work that get a Mafia family it's power. Al Neri and Paulie Gatto are soldiers within the Corleone Mafia Family.
8.Associates (Giovane D'Onore)
Known in English as 'associates', these people are NOT members of the Mafia. But this doesn't mean that they're not important. An associate is like a business-partner to the Mafia. They come to the Mafia with information, business-deals and ideas. They are a crucial part to any family's power. These are the lowest ranking members of the mafia structure.