Talk:Running Dog

Origin of name?
I had never heard of the novel and was looking up the Chinese to English calgue "Running Dog" - meaning a servile lackey, which I keep reading about in a history of the Cultural Revolution. Since this was going on at the time the novel was written, would not the name of the fictional magazine in the story be taken from the Chinese phrase, which was used so frequently denouncing people and was heard in the US news? I doubt it would be otherwise, but again, have not read it. It could easily fit Fitzhugh 01:21, 1 June 2007 (UTC)

Same here; however I had a great deal of trouble finding any non-ironic use of the term on the internet. the best I can do is this archive of North Korean propoganda http://www.nk-news.net, however it only dates back to 1996 so it does not pre-date the book. One online dictionary gave an date of 1927 for the origin of 'running dog' but did not cite a source. A search of archived newspapers might at least give an anti-dating and show that it was in common use, but that might count as original research (I don't know) Jmackaerospace (talk) 15:59, 16 February 2008 (UTC)

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BetacommandBot (talk) 04:59, 24 January 2008 (UTC)

Whoa now
In my experience - based on extensive playing of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas - "running dog" is ghetto slang meaning somebody that has your back, somebody whom you can trust with your life. What gives? 58.7.139.56 (talk) 13:37, 11 April 2008 (UTC)


 * I'm not sure what you think might be giving, but I suspect that the modern slang you mention puts the stress on "running", as in "running mate", and means something like a "dog", or companion, who "runs", or participates in street life (especially crime), with you. The older meaning, which stresses "dog", is well-established in the much larger world outside of the cathode ray tube. If you have a good source you can cite for the ghetto slang version, you should write it into the article, or, better yet, into Wiktionary. --Milkbreath (talk) 13:57, 11 April 2008 (UTC)


 * If you strip the insult back to it's bare essentials, a running dog is a loyal servant. You would trust your loyal servant with your life. However until recently, calling anyone 'dog' would have earned you a swift punch in the face. It is a highly interesting development of the phrase, and if someone could find out where Rockstar/EA got this use from it would be a hell of a coup.Jmackaerospace (talk) 22:37, 8 May 2008 (UTC)