British Diana Nov 2, 2010:

@Michael Being a native speaker of English only helps to solve this sort of mystery intuitively if one is acquainted with the slang used at a particular time and in a particular environment. I, for example, am a NS of British English and although I was alive in the 1960's this was in Swinging London, where we had a quite different vernacular. This means that when faced with this sort of question a translator first has to do some research in dictionaries and on the WWW. My reference comment displays the result of my research and shows that the word "hubcap" has a lot of very different meanings today. I thought that insight pertinent enough to share with the others, just as Bernhard shared his ideas in the Discussion box. Arriving at an Answer of one's own or voting for another person's Answer is a later step.

Bernhard Sulzer Nov 1, 2010:

more thoughts plus reference here's the full text: http://tinyurl.com/22olaxa
"Hubcap" is mentioned once.
A google search for "a joint or a hubcap" yields one result: this question.
I also thought that what could be meant here is that the joints were hidden inside the hubcaps. Possibly.
see:
http://www.imperialclub.com/Movies/HighSchool/index.htm

Lisa Miles Nov 1, 2010:

hey no offense taken whatsoever, love these word debates

Bernhard Sulzer Nov 1, 2010:

@Lisamiles I just thought not all cool-looking hubcaps are stolen, I hope not. The joint smoking is another story. But I take your word for it and try to be more observant. ;)

Michael Barnett Nov 1, 2010:

I'm sorry. My comment was offensive. I retract it and apologize.

Nevertheless, I have +5 confidence for my answer, which I expect to be supported by other native speakers.

Lisa Miles Nov 1, 2010:

I don't get Michael's comment either.....the asker still wants to know what joints and hubcaps are, whether they're metaphors or not, he would still be curious about the origin.
Hey Bernard, I'd like to live where you live :) there are many many joint smoking hubcap thiefs in many areas :)

Bernhard Sulzer Nov 1, 2010:

@Michael I am not offended. But a native English speaker might be. But then again, maybe not.
We did consider your solution or something similar (see below). So why your comment? We just want to make sure we have it right.

Michael Barnett Nov 1, 2010:

Are any of you guys native English speakers? I really do not intend any disrespect, but I find the meaning here so obvious that I am shocked by the level of debate.

Drewe (asker) Nov 1, 2010:

You are right, Bernhard Sulzer, it's May 1967.

Bernhard Sulzer Nov 1, 2010:

@Annett Pars pro toto. Yes. Although I rather would expect it to be a name given to a burger such as Big Mac or Whopper (do you eat those sometimes? :0)/ And yes, my first impression was that the author might mean that the kids are "no rebels, rather innocent."

Annett Kottek (X) Nov 1, 2010:

And why make a point of it in that context? Maybe to contrast their ‘demure’ behaviour with that of other, more rebellious, teenagers, who would hang out in such places? The narrator talks critically about the mayor and his councillors, all of whom seem to be rather self-serving types, and perhaps he or she thinks that these kids don’t look like they’re going to challenge the system. But I’m only guessing.

Annett Kottek (X) Nov 1, 2010:

@ Bernard You're right, I missed the 's'. I'm sorry about that. So it could also be late 60s. As for 'hubcaps' instead of 'hubcap burgers', maybe it's used synecdochally [ - - here's me hoping that I'm using the term synechdoche correctly].

Bernhard Sulzer Nov 1, 2010:

@Annett Asker also says it's in the 1960s - not 1960. So it could be 67.

Bernhard Sulzer Nov 1, 2010:

@Annett Wouldn't it be hubcap burger then and not hubcaps? But I am not really familiar with that anyway. And why would it be said in the context of a commencement speech if that's what it is. :)

British Diana Nov 1, 2010:

@annett Yes, the fried egg might be right after all and the (sexual etc) things I found on the urban dictionary would be much too recent.
Post it and I'll vote!

Annett Kottek (X) Nov 1, 2010:

Another suggestion Isn't 1960 a bit early for such a casual reference to drugs. The hippy movement did not properly take off until the mid 60s. Maybe the author refers to burger joints/restaurants, as a meeting place for youths. They certainly have hubcaps on their menu.

See, for example, here:
http://aht.seriouseats.com/archives/2009/10/18-week/
and here:
http://www.examiner.com/easy-meals-in-phoenix/burgers-by-the...

Maybe they used to be rock ’n roll places? Something cool like the 1950s diners?

Drewe (asker) Nov 1, 2010:

Thanks, Lisamiles! It just hasn't crossed my mind. I think it's the most likely interpretation so far.

Lisa Miles Nov 1, 2010:

kids are quite into stealing hubcaps (off cars), so it would go with smoking dope illegally too

Drewe (asker) Nov 1, 2010:

There is really no much more context considering these kids.
"His much loved mayoralty was as stuffed with pomp and circumstance as he could persuade his councilors to condone, which meant there was plenty; his councilors were thoroughly cowed and didn’t honestly care, so long as they could enjoy councilors’ perks. Thus Taft and Travis High Schools received fat subsidies for their bands, a benefit all around: Taft or Travis marched off with all the band trophies far and wide, while the Mayor could fill Holloman’s air with the sounds of brilliant brass during his ceremonials."
"...both high school bands played and marched, and the Mayor did his thing alongside M.M. of Chubb in all the glory of his President’s gown and cap. It was Town’s tribute to Gown as the academic year drew to a close. "

Nothing more about any kids.

Bernhard Sulzer Nov 1, 2010:

thoughts 2 A joint can also be part of the car's drive system and then it could possibly mean that they just have no idea of how certain things work. Not just on cars. See my reference. But I am not happy with that reading. More context would help.

Bernhard Sulzer Nov 1, 2010:

thoughts without more context, words that come to mind describing the people on the grass are "demurely/innocent" and "no rebels". Never mind demurely, we already know that. They can't hurt a fly, are really innocent. But context might prove otherwise.

Polangmar Nov 1, 2010:

I didn't notice it was an English-to-English question.

Bernhard Sulzer Nov 1, 2010:

@Drewe A hubcap can be considered a cool(looking) thing on the wheel of a car. Not that I condone smoking dope. But it's about the past anyway.
Is this from a novel? If so, what is it about?

Drewe (asker) Oct 31, 2010:

Not quite so. I'm not so sure about "joint" in this context either. Perhaps both terms have to do with something quite different. Something about brass instruments...

Polangmar Oct 31, 2010:

Czyli chodzi tylko o termin "hubcap"?