cockney rhyming slang
Most people with any interest in London have heard of Cockney rhyming slang and may know several examples even if they have never set foot in the city.
It is said to have started as a way for costermongers (street and market sellers) to communicate without letting their customers know what they were saying.
There is another school of thought that maintains it originated amongst London's criminals.
The slang usually consists of two words, e.g. butcher's hook = look but sometimes only the first word is used in conversation.
For example, someone might say "I had a butchers at her barnet and her titfer" meaning I had a look at her hair (barnet fair) and her hat (tit for tat).
You have to know, though, when to use the whole phrase and when to abbreviate. Another example: "Would you Adam and Eve it?
I was on me Jack Jones when I saw me old china half inching a whistle from the market. Well, I ain't no grass and he's borassic, so I kept me north and south shut." Translation:"Would you believe it? I was on my own when I saw my old mate (friend) pinching (stealing) a suit from the market. Well, I'm not a nark (informer) and he's skint (got no money, hard up) so I kept my mouth shut."
New phrases are added all the time and you can even make up your own!
If you are going to use rhyming slang, get the pronunciation right. Tit for tat is pronounced titfertat, shortened to titfer. Joanna is pronounced joanner. The letter H is usually dropped from the beginning of words eg ham becomes 'am, half becomes 'alf which, in turn sounds more like 'arff'.
You've got to listen to Cockneys to hear the accent and don't use the slang in front of a Cockney unless you're sure you can say it properly otherwise they'll laugh their almonds off (socks).
It is said to have started as a way for costermongers (street and market sellers) to communicate without letting their customers know what they were saying.
There is another school of thought that maintains it originated amongst London's criminals.
The slang usually consists of two words, e.g. butcher's hook = look but sometimes only the first word is used in conversation.
For example, someone might say "I had a butchers at her barnet and her titfer" meaning I had a look at her hair (barnet fair) and her hat (tit for tat).
You have to know, though, when to use the whole phrase and when to abbreviate. Another example: "Would you Adam and Eve it?
I was on me Jack Jones when I saw me old china half inching a whistle from the market. Well, I ain't no grass and he's borassic, so I kept me north and south shut." Translation:"Would you believe it? I was on my own when I saw my old mate (friend) pinching (stealing) a suit from the market. Well, I'm not a nark (informer) and he's skint (got no money, hard up) so I kept my mouth shut."
New phrases are added all the time and you can even make up your own!
If you are going to use rhyming slang, get the pronunciation right. Tit for tat is pronounced titfertat, shortened to titfer. Joanna is pronounced joanner. The letter H is usually dropped from the beginning of words eg ham becomes 'am, half becomes 'alf which, in turn sounds more like 'arff'.
You've got to listen to Cockneys to hear the accent and don't use the slang in front of a Cockney unless you're sure you can say it properly otherwise they'll laugh their almonds off (socks).
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Adam and Eve - Rhyming Slang for 'believe'.
Alan Whicker(s) - Rhyming Slang for 'knickers' Ayrton Senna - Rhyming Slang for 'tenner' Battle cruiser - Rhyming Slang for 'boozer' Boat race - Rhyming Slang for 'face'. Bob Hope - Rhyming Slang for 'dope' Bo Peep - Rhyming Slang for 'sleep' Borasic lint - Rhyming Slang for 'skint' Bread - Rhyming slang for 'money' Brown bread - Rhyming Slang for 'dead' Butchers - Rhyming Slang , short for for 'butchers hook' meaning 'look' Chalfont St Giles - Rhyming Slang meaning 'piles' China - Rhyming Slang, short for 'China plate','mate' Claire Rayner's - Rhyming Slang for 'trainers' Cobblers - Rhyming Slang, short for 'cobblers awls', 'balls' Dennis Law - Rhyming Slang for 'draw' Dog and bone - Rhyming Slang for 'phone' Emma Freud's - Rhyming Slang for haemorrhoids. |
Family jewels - Rhyming Slang for 'balls'
Farmer Giles - Rhyming Slang for 'piles' Fridge and freezer - Rhyming Slang for 'geezer'. Ginger beer - Rhyming Slang for queer Gone for a Burton - Rhyming Slang for 'to leave'. Gregory Peck - Rhyming Slang for 'neck' Gypsy's kiss - Rhyming Slang for 'piss' Half inch - Rhyming Slang for 'pinch' Hampstead Heath - Rhyming Slang for 'teeth' Hampton - short for the Rhyming Slang 'Hampton Wick' meaning 'prick' Hank Marvin - Rhyming Slang for 'starving' Holy Ghost - Rhyming Slang for "toast" Iron (hoof) - Rhyming Slang for 'poof' Jack Jones - Rhyming Slang for 'own' Jam jar - Rhyming Slang for 'car' Jimmy Riddle - Rhyming Slang for 'piddle' Kettle (and hob) - Rhyming Slang for 'fob' Khyber pass - Rhyming Slang for 'arse' |