Baccagghju (or baccaglio) is a cant based on Sicilian and Calabrian dialects used by members of Cosa Nostra and the 'Ndrangheta, the criminal organization operating in Calabria (Southern Italy). Sometimes the puppeteers of the Opera dei pupi used the jargon, to transmit unwanted content by the authorities. Vocabulary In 1897, a prostitute revealed to judges some terms: marca carnente woman in love maggiorigna madame of a brothel strambola night putrimento bed mutria face sopracielo hat sferra stabbing knife cerino knife lampanti eyes fangose, caminanti "walkers", shoes putea police station zaffi policemen carrubbi carabinieri sciacche prostitutes muffa handkerchief 'ntiuno watch capezza chain grasciume gold sfogliose bank notes maniglie old Italian liras utri ca fossa manslaughter, the punishment for traitors References Cant languages Italo-Dalmatian languages Languages of Calabria History of the 'Ndrangheta Italian slang