death of the cockney
True Cockneys are dying out after Bow Bells muted True Cockneys could be a dying breed, research has suggested, as the Bow bells which define them are no longer heard by newborn Londoners.
According to tradition, true Cockneys must be born within earshot of the bells of St Mary-le-Bow Church, Cheapside. In days gone by, they could be heard across much of north and east London and as far south as Southwark, meaning any baby born within earshot was defined as a Cockney.
Now, research by 24 Acoustics suggests the noise of the bells only reaches the city of London and Shoreditch. Not only is there little private housing in the area, but the only hospital now within earshot has no maternity ward on site.
According to the study, undertaken to launch the new Times Atlas of London, the noise of the Bow Bells is significantly affected by ambient noise level in the capital.
This was significantly lower before cars, cabs and tourists descended, with an increase in buildings also muffling the noise. The study showed the noise in 1851 London would have been similar to that in the countryside today, at about 20 to 25 dBA in the evening.
In 2012, the ambient noise levels are typically more than 55 dBA. The Bow Bells, which were said to have made Dick Whittington cancel his plans to leave London and turn back to become mayor, currently ring every 15 minutes.
Their existence was first recorded in 1469, when they were ordered to ring at 9pm each evening to signal a curfew and the end of an apprentice’s working day. They were also mentioned in the English nursery rhyme ‘Orange and Lemons’ in the line: “I do not know, said the great bell of Bow.”
The term Cockney dates back to the 14th century, and has now become largely synonymous with working class Londoners, Research has shown true Cockney dialect, including the popular use of rhyming slang, is also dying out as different cultures influence the language of Londoners.
According to tradition, true Cockneys must be born within earshot of the bells of St Mary-le-Bow Church, Cheapside. In days gone by, they could be heard across much of north and east London and as far south as Southwark, meaning any baby born within earshot was defined as a Cockney.
Now, research by 24 Acoustics suggests the noise of the bells only reaches the city of London and Shoreditch. Not only is there little private housing in the area, but the only hospital now within earshot has no maternity ward on site.
According to the study, undertaken to launch the new Times Atlas of London, the noise of the Bow Bells is significantly affected by ambient noise level in the capital.
This was significantly lower before cars, cabs and tourists descended, with an increase in buildings also muffling the noise. The study showed the noise in 1851 London would have been similar to that in the countryside today, at about 20 to 25 dBA in the evening.
In 2012, the ambient noise levels are typically more than 55 dBA. The Bow Bells, which were said to have made Dick Whittington cancel his plans to leave London and turn back to become mayor, currently ring every 15 minutes.
Their existence was first recorded in 1469, when they were ordered to ring at 9pm each evening to signal a curfew and the end of an apprentice’s working day. They were also mentioned in the English nursery rhyme ‘Orange and Lemons’ in the line: “I do not know, said the great bell of Bow.”
The term Cockney dates back to the 14th century, and has now become largely synonymous with working class Londoners, Research has shown true Cockney dialect, including the popular use of rhyming slang, is also dying out as different cultures influence the language of Londoners.
londoners baffled by cockney rhyming slang
Modern Londoners are just as baffled by Cockney rhyming slang as the rest of the country. The slang is dying out amid London’s diverse, multi-cultural society, new research has revealed. A study of 2,000 adults, including half from the capital, found the world famous East End lingo which has been mimicked and mocked for decades is on the wane. The survey, commissioned by The Museum of London, revealed almost 80 per cent of Londoners do not understand phrases such as 'donkey’s ears’ - slang for years.
Other examples of rhyming slang which baffled participants included 'mother hubbard’, which means cupboard, and 'bacon and eggs’ which means legs. Significantly, Londoners’ own knowledge of the jargon is now almost as bad as those who live outside of the capital.
“For many people, Cockney rhyming slang is intrinsic to the identity of London. “However this research suggests that the Cockney dialect itself may not be enjoying the same level of popularity. “The origins of Cockney slang reflects the diverse, immigrant community of London’s East End in the 19th century so perhaps it’s no surprise that other forms of slang are taking over as the cultural influences on the city change.”
Other examples of rhyming slang which baffled participants included 'mother hubbard’, which means cupboard, and 'bacon and eggs’ which means legs. Significantly, Londoners’ own knowledge of the jargon is now almost as bad as those who live outside of the capital.
“For many people, Cockney rhyming slang is intrinsic to the identity of London. “However this research suggests that the Cockney dialect itself may not be enjoying the same level of popularity. “The origins of Cockney slang reflects the diverse, immigrant community of London’s East End in the 19th century so perhaps it’s no surprise that other forms of slang are taking over as the cultural influences on the city change.”
The term 'cokenay’ was used in The Reeve’s Tale, the third story in Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales, to describe a child who was “tenderly brought up” and “effeminate”.
By the early 16th century the reference was commonly used as a derogatory term to describe town-dwellers. Later still, it was used to indicate those born specifically within earshot of the ringing of Bow-bell at St Mary-le-Bow church in east London.
Research by The Museum of London found that just 20 per cent of the 2,000 people questioned knew that 'rabbit and pork’ meant talk.
It also emerged that very few of those polled understood the meaning of tommy tucker (supper), watch the custard and jelly (telly) or spend time with the teapot lids (kids).
Instead, the report found that most Londoners now have a grasp of just a couple of Cockney phrases such as tea leaf (thief), and apples and pears (stairs). The most-used cockney slang was found to be the phrase 'porky pies’ with 13 per cent of those questioned still using it. One in 10 used the term 'cream crackered’.
Forty per cent of the study also said they felt cockney rhyming slang was dying out, and a third admitted they were sad it was fading away. David Crystal, honorary professor of linguistics at Bangor University, said: “Cockney slang was never very widely known as it started as a secret way for people to talk to each other. As soon as the slang became known the cockney’s stopped using it
“What I’ve noticed is that there are still quite a lot of people out there inventing new rhyming slang. “In my files I’ve seen in the last two or three years slang such as 'he was wearing his Barack Obamas’, meaning pyjamas and 'he’s on the Adrian Mole’, meaning dole.
By the early 16th century the reference was commonly used as a derogatory term to describe town-dwellers. Later still, it was used to indicate those born specifically within earshot of the ringing of Bow-bell at St Mary-le-Bow church in east London.
Research by The Museum of London found that just 20 per cent of the 2,000 people questioned knew that 'rabbit and pork’ meant talk.
It also emerged that very few of those polled understood the meaning of tommy tucker (supper), watch the custard and jelly (telly) or spend time with the teapot lids (kids).
Instead, the report found that most Londoners now have a grasp of just a couple of Cockney phrases such as tea leaf (thief), and apples and pears (stairs). The most-used cockney slang was found to be the phrase 'porky pies’ with 13 per cent of those questioned still using it. One in 10 used the term 'cream crackered’.
Forty per cent of the study also said they felt cockney rhyming slang was dying out, and a third admitted they were sad it was fading away. David Crystal, honorary professor of linguistics at Bangor University, said: “Cockney slang was never very widely known as it started as a secret way for people to talk to each other. As soon as the slang became known the cockney’s stopped using it
“What I’ve noticed is that there are still quite a lot of people out there inventing new rhyming slang. “In my files I’ve seen in the last two or three years slang such as 'he was wearing his Barack Obamas’, meaning pyjamas and 'he’s on the Adrian Mole’, meaning dole.
