132. Scrieve

This week, Emily and Kyle are digging into all the ‘write’ stuff. They discuss flash language, begging letters, and the history of the word scrieve.

Our hosts start in the wide world of writing, in contexts varying from beloved Scottish writer Robert Louis Stevenson to the tedious work of a scribe. However, the once-innocent scrieve soon becomes the less savory screeve, and leads us on a trip to the criminal underworld.

While Kyle susses out the connection between British and Australian criminals’ slang, Emily uncovers the truth behind counterfeit banknotes, the Nigerian prince scam, and an imposter who pestered Charles Dickens for years on end.