Shyster

Shyster /ˈʃaɪstər/ is a slang word for someone who acts in a disreputable, unethical, or unscrupulous way, especially in the practice of law, sometimes also politics or business.

Etymology

The etymology of the word is not generally agreed upon. The Oxford English Dictionary describes it as "of obscure origin", possibly deriving from a historical sense of "shy" meaning disreputable,^[1] whereas the Merriam-Webster Dictionary deemed it probably based on the German Scheisser [Scheißer] (literally "defecator"^[2]). Various false etymologies have suggested an anti-Semitic origin, possibly associated with the character of Shylock from Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice, but there is no clear evidence for this.^[3] One source asserts that the term originated in Philadelphia in 1843 from a disreputable attorney named "Schuster."^[4] A book published in 2013 traces the first use back to 1843, when scammers in New York City would exploit prisoners by pretending to be lawyers. These scammers were disparagingly referred to as "shisers", meaning "worthless people" in British slang, which in turn was originally derived from the German "Scheißer" (literally: shitter).^[5]

The Soviet nuclear missile R-5 Pobeda ("Victory") was given the NATO reporting name "Shyster."^[6]

Cultural references

• U.S. Professional wrestler Mike Rotunda, using the ring name Irwin R. Schyster (abbreviated to "I.R.S.") portrayed a dishonest tax collector and accountant.
• Sylvester Shyster, a Walt Disney cartoon character introduced in 1930, is a disbarred attorney who schemes to deprive Minnie Mouse of her inheritance
• The 1932/33 radio show Flywheel, Shyster, and Flywheel, starring Groucho and Chico Marx, depicts the misadventures of a small law firm.

• Lionel Hutz is also an example of lawyer who was repeatedly hired by the Simpsons, despite Marge and Lisa being aware of his reputation and calling him a "shyster". He operates out of a small law firm in a mall.

References