Talk:Swag (disambiguation)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

WikiProject Disambiguation This page is part of WikiProject Disambiguation, an attempt to structure and organize all disambiguation pages on Wikipedia. If you wish to help, you can edit the page attached to this talk page, or visit the project page, where you can join the project and/or contribute to the discussion.

This is the talk page for discussing improvements to the Swag (disambiguation) article.
Article policies

Contents

[edit] Aussie swag

The Australian and New Zealand swag really deserves an article of its own, but I can't think of what to call it other than just swag. So for the moment, the link to swagman will just have to do. There's a little more information there, and a link to Henry Lawson's famous work on the subject. Andrewa 14:46, 11 Feb 2004 (UTC)

How about moving Swag to Swag (disambiguation) and then using Swag for that meaning? I can't think of a better name for it either. Of course you should link to the disambiguation page for people looking for the other meanings. fabiform | talk 15:01, 11 Feb 2004 (UTC)
That sounds good. Thank you! I've seen that done to other articles. I'll sleep on it (that's not very bold, sorry), but that does appeal and will probably happen. Andrewa 15:27, 11 Feb 2004 (UTC)
And it has. Andrewa 19:39, 12 Feb 2004 (UTC)

Swag is not "a scam in the sale of marijuana", at least around here (Maryland/DC/Virginia area). It is cheap, seedy and stemmy marijuana -- it is only a scam if you pay KB prices for swag, or if someone tries to pass off swag as midgrade. Tuf-Kat 19:27, Feb 12, 2004 (UTC)

Hmmm... I've never smoked anything, so probably I'm not the person to make this change, but AFAIK that's even Austalian usage too... would someone more knowledgeable (smoker or no) like to try to rephrase this? Andrewa 19:39, 12 Feb 2004 (UTC)
I've just had a look through http://www.urbandictionary.com/ at swag, shwag and schwag. Nearly 2/3 of definitions refer to poor quality marijuana; a few to anything that's bad; most of the rest free promotional stuff; and a few random meanings that are completely different. I'm going to take out the bit about the scam... Davodd added it, so perhaps he/she will be able to find a source? fabiform | talk 06:14, 13 Feb 2004 (UTC)
What is currently written about Marijuana is correct. Well as correct as it needs to be, this is a slang term after all. I have never heard of swag meaning "being ripped off." Just low quality pot. Also, regarding it being what's left at the end of a bag, I have never heard that referred as Swag, but I have heard that referred to as Shake. It would be nice to have an anecdote about Kind Bud in wiki too, however an over zealous power-hungry child has repeatedly removed my one line addition to the KB article. Just look at the history on that page to see. Please feel free to add the information, maybe if enough people keep reverting it the little boy will leave it be. --68.40.197.241 14:13, 30 January 2007 (UTC)

I was doubtful about the meaning of 'a large amount of something', but both the Oxford dictionary of Australian English and the Macquarie Dictionary confirm it. Andrewa 19:39, 12 Feb 2004 (UTC)

I can't help on the pot question, I suppose a bit of creative googling might tell you. If anyone else is wondering at swag as a large quantity of something, do a google for "a swag of", it's obviously quite common, although I'd never heard of it either. fabiform | talk 19:48, 12 Feb 2004 (UTC)

the swag needs two separate entry`s the first being historical being the tent (sheet of canvas or plastic sheeting) and bedroll, as in thin mattress and blankets with minimal personal belongings so it was not too heavy (mostly 20kg seems old time average without belongings). then the second being slang and modern meanings as a modern user of the original type swag although there are around 100 new types i was trying to point an American to the meaning and a brief description of the item perhaps a pic of one or of drawings of the old timers (i could supply a pic of my setup) then link to each other for the alternate meaning rather than all in together with separations wiki leave a yes plz note for when i check back next week lol draco

[edit] Non Promotional Items Schwag

While Schwag does refer to promotional items, It also refers to company schtuff on paraphanelia (sp), even if it is never given out as a promotional item. For Example, if The SFX guys who were making the movie, The Matrix had some shirts printed for themselves[1], it would be called swag even if the general public can't get it.

Within the software industry (particularly at Microsoft) swag is used to refer to "stuff we all get".

[edit] Super Wild Ass Guess

When scheduling projects (software), SWAG stands for "super wild ass guess". For example "My swag for how long it will take to rewrite this feature to fix the security problems is 6-weeks". WAG is used almost interchangablly, meanning "wild ass guess".

[edit] Silly Wild Ass Guess

In the construction industry when estimating costs or schedule durations SWAG stands for "silly wild ass guess" when you don't really know what the cost or schedule aspects will be for a particiular issue or schedule activity.

[edit] Swag as "Stuff We All Get"?

If Swag is also "Stuff We all Get" (which sounds like a backronym to me), then it should be SWAG, not swag.

Agreed. Demong 22:18, 9 April 2007 (UTC)

[edit] You ain't seen me, roight?

I will give ninety-seven million pounds to the first person who can explain, in the article, what "swag" in the burglar sense is supposed to mean. I assume it's derived from the Australian term above - the burglar has a bag bursting with stuff - but it seems a very British thing. Also, why the striped t-shirt? Perhaps an illustrator in the 19th century or thenabouts set the popular visual image, much as Santa Claus is - I think - based on a single popular interpretation. -Ashley Pomeroy 17:56, 30 October 2005 (UTC) -I think the striped shirt, at least, comes from black-and-white horizontal stripes being a common American prison uniform back in the day. Presumably most criminals aren't still in their uniforms when they go back to committing crimes, but it was presumably illustrator's shorthand to show what kind of character they were dealing with.DaveOTN 03:19, 19 January 2007 (UTC)


[edit] Removed from "Australian camp roll" page

This text is now redundant, due to the presence of a disambiguation page, so I have removed it to here. Jonrock 04:41, 3 November 2005 (UTC)


  • ==Other Meanings==

Swag has two other meanings behind it. One is merchandise given away for free, usually at an expo or music concert. Said merchandise normally pertains to music and/or entertainment in some way. The word Swag is actually an acronym for "Stuff We All Get", originated from the .com years where companies used these give-away items as promotional mechanisms. An alternative implying highly desirable give-aways not given to all attendees is "Stuff We Ain't Got."

Swag can also stand for "Stolen While At Gig".

Another meaning is an acronym for "Scientific Wild Ass Guess".

Another meaning in the pirate days: Swag was a term for pirate "booty" or treasure.

It is used by the gaming community as a verb meaning to loot or pillage, or as an adjective to describe very nice found items. It is the more overt form of "yoink".

At the turn of the 21st Century swag has come to refer to the merchandise that brand name manufacturers gift to celebrities and influencers at high end events and award ceremonies. Often there are "swag houses" where a private residance or hotel suite is conveted into a party like athmosphere where the celebrities can be targetted to be gifted. The practice is thought to promote the brand by creating association for it with a luxury clientele.

[edit] Alternate spelling

So, as I looked through the history of this page. There have been several other things, besides the sale of Marajuana that have been spelled "schwag" or "shwag", but I'm not sure, if this is right. I think that the term for promotional items can also be spelled that way, but I'm not sure. McKay 06:56, 30 July 2006 (UTC)

No, those are just ignorant spellers. "Swag" is a promotional item, souvenir, etc (see [2]). "Schwag" is always referring to marijuana (see [3], note the Related Ads are for cannabis and marijuana). I always cringe when I see people write that they got "schwag" somewhere, knowing that they have no idea what they just wrote.

[edit] Folk etymologies

I think the "Stolen Without A Gun" explanation given in the article is one of many incorrect folk etymologies base on forming an acronym. Several for swag are given above in this talk page, and others for fuck, shit, golf and tip are given in false etymology. I therefore suggest that it be removed unless someone can come up with some documentation of this etymology.Furby100 22:02, 1 November 2006 (UTC)

I don't know how relevant it is, but there are several popular rap songs in the US currently that mention "swag" or "shwag", referencing the rapper's impressive jewelry (like treasure). I have no idea if this "stolen without a gun" has any bearing on that. I've always understood shwag (swag?) to mean either "loot" (treasure) or low grade marijuana. I believe I stuck in the references tag, and I would support removing backronyms and folk etymology. /Blaxthos 15:04, 3 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Meaning

Why is this article focused on trade show gifts? "Swag" is an old term for stolen goods and was only quite recently applied to gifts given at trade shows and events in a tongue-in-cheek way, in the same way you might refer to Christmas gifts as "loot" or "booty." Tysto 01:36, 7 February 2007 (UTC)

as an Aussie, i have never historically heard of it in relation to stealing, must be an American historical term? five finger discount, pilfering, recking, these and more i have heard, but not swag in relation to theft or receiving stolen items

[edit] S.W.A.G. = Seriously Wild-Ass Guess

Seriously wild-ass guess is the way that I've always heard it explained. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 63.87.74.235 (talk) 00:21, 8 March 2007 (UTC).

And yet again another urban legend.
If you look at how many web pages refer to each phrase, scientific wild-ass guess seems the most common among the many variations on this theme. 209.131.60.67 (talk) 12:20, 8 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Swag is a lamp, right?

In Canada or at least in the part of Canada I'm in, the only meaning for "swag" is a lamp that hangs from the ceiling. Where is that definition? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.144.96.91 (talk) 20:31, August 25, 2007 (UTC)

[edit] also...

A swag is also a term used for window or doorway decorations. IE - Christmas swag being an evergreen branch or bundle placed over a threshold. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 12.208.214.129 (talk) 03:06, 8 November 2007 (UTC)