Talk:nonce

Isn't the lexicographical sense due to OED editor Sir James Murray?

- lexicographers agree in recording Murray as introducing the term nonce-word - with its use of nonce as an adjective . But he was relying on its long-established use as a noun, meaning an isolated occasion. - SquisherDa (talk) 08:57, 21 December 2019 (UTC)

Broadmoor Hospital 1863 N.O.N.C.E Not on no concourse exercise Chalked on door's

RfV

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nonce

As per an alert from Wikipedia, this sense does seem unlikely. --Connel MacKenzie 23:32, 24 May 2007 (UTC)

• It is the normal use of the word in the UK. Here is the OED . . .

Brit. Criminals' slang. - A sexual deviant; a person convicted of a sexual offence, esp. child abuse. SemperBlotto 07:32, 25 May 2007 (UTC)

A nonce is a child molester or someone who is a total twat. I think this underlines how different American and British English can be and how unaware we are sometimes of each others idiosyncracies when it comes to language. For my pals across the pond, if you watch a few films such as Lock Stock and two Smoking Barrels, Layer Cake etc. the term is probably used their, you may have to listen carefully for those cheeky southern chappies!--Williamsayers79 08:22, 25 May 2007 (UTC)

I can confirm as a UK resident that this is a well-know, widely-used meaning for 'nonce' here, and as SemperBlotto mentions, it's also covered in the OED. See http://www.londonslang.com/db/film_slang/ for usage in Lock Stock and two Smoking Barrels. That said, I'd question the "paedophile" reference; although many people do use "paedophile" synonymously with "child-molester", strictly speaking, not all paedophiles commit sex crimes, as was pointed out earlier within Wikipedia. Tws45 13:58, 25 May 2007 (UTC)

I'm taking the RfV off as I believe it has passed. --Williamsayers79 18:17, 6 June 2007 (UTC)

Nonce - Police Informer

Meaning : The slang definition of paedophile is not very good. The word is in wide circulation here in the UK and its general meaning is Police informer. (or 'grass') I think the other meaning comes from that because police informers and paedophiles are equally loved groups in many communities here. Not communities I am part of BTW. - Lucien86 19:53, 30 August 2011 (UTC)

The word Nonce, is an acronym of the phrase “Not on normal courtyard exercise”. In the past, in UK prisons peadophiles were often accommodated on the same landings as the other prisoners. In order to identify and arguably give some protection to child molesters, rapists and informants the initials N.O.N.C.E were chalked up on a small blackboard outside the cells of this type of offender. Such prisoners were then taken out on to the exercise yard (if time permitted) after the other prisoners had been exercised. As child sex offenders are seen to be the lowest of the low in probably most prisons on the planet the acronym Nonce became a serious term of abuse within both British prisons and also the British criminal community. Dean0wal (talk) 19:33, 28 April 2019 (UTC)

The point of the blackboards, on the wall alongside each cell door, is/was so that wing staff could confirm who they were unlocking before unlocking them. The point of noting "NONCE" on the board, where applicable, is/was so that wing staff would omit that cell door when unlocking for (normal) courtyard exercise. The point of omitting high-risk prisoners from normal courtyard exercise is/was because supervision there was from the edge of the courtyard, so that a covertly planned group attack, launched cooperatively on a private signal, could be effective long before staff could react and protect. Excluding the prisoner from the situation worked as far as it would; but labelling the prisoner publicly didn't do much for his prospects in meal or phone queues, showers etc. - SquisherDa (talk) 08:21, 21 December 2019 (UTC)

RFV discussion: July 2018

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nonce

Rfv-sense: adjective, "Denoting something occurring once." I don't think this is a true adjective. DTLHS (talk) 04:57, 4 July 2018 (UTC)

cited Kiwima (talk) 23:55, 7 July 2018 (UTC)

RFV-passed Kiwima (talk) 06:29, 15 July 2018 (UTC)

The word Nonce, is an acronym of the phrase “Not on normal courtyard exercise”. In the past, in UK prisons peadophiles were often accommodated on the same landings as the other prisoners. In order to identify and arguably give some protection to child molesters, rapists and informants the initials N.O.N.C.E were chalked up on a small blackboard outside the cells of this type of offender. Such prisoners were then taken out on to the exercise yard (if time permitted) after the other prisoners had been exercised. As child sex offenders are seen to be the lowest of the low in probably most prisons on the planet the acronym Nonce became a serious term of abuse within both British prisons and also the British criminal community. Dean0wal (talk) 19:36, 28 April 2019 (UTC)

see above (following earlier copy of this note) for why / how the acronym was thus upchalked - SquisherDa (talk) 08:21, 21 December 2019 (UTC)

Citation

Dubious citation as it seems a mishearing of 'nouse'. (pronounced now'se) a Br.E. Northern word for 'sense'. http://www.bbc.co.uk/northyorkshire/voices2005/glossary/glossary.shtml 194.207.86.26

Middle English Translation Links

There are two links to the Middle English phrases Middle English to þan anes and for þan anes. Neither of which exist, currently, in this Wiki. It seems that it would make more sense, as we are talking about the re-bracketing of this word, to brake those phrases, especially the uses of the words "þan" and "anes" out, linking them to their own Wiki entries. As someone with limited experience with many of the aspects of Middle English, including its letters, I would find this incredibly helpful.

EverFaithful (talk) 15:22, 10 January 2019 (UTC)

Verb?

i'm finding it more and more common nowadays for nonce to be used as a verb - as in, to nonce kids, or "he nonces kids". not sure i could get a reference for it though 89.240.147.8 23:27, 7 October 2020 (UTC)

Not once

A common explanation for the term's origins is how when accused by prosecutors in court, pedos would often resort to the phrase "not once". As in "I did not have any inappropriate contact with the plaintiff, not once". "Not once" was compacted into "nonce" by the public. 174.93.206.90 23:05, 24 February 2023 (UTC)

/nɑn(t)s/ ?

For the pronunciation: I think a (weak?) /t/-like sound will or may occur between the last consonants, e.g.: GA: /nɑn(t)s/.

Cf.

① The audio sample recorded here in Wiktionary, by an Australian speaker
② The Merriam-Webster Dictionary entry nonce: "ˈnän(t)s"
③ Wiktionary entry for once: /wʌn(t)s/

A kind request for native English speakers to consider an "upgrading" of the pronunciation markings towards /nɒn(t)s/, /nɑn(t)s/, etc. Javítgató (talk) 15:34, 9 March 2023 (UTC)