WELCOME to my brief introduction to cockney rhyming slang.
First of all, who or what is a cockney? A true cockney is one 'born within the sound of Bow Bells' - the bells of the church of St Mary-le-Bow in the City of London - but the term is often applied to any Londoner who speaks with a London accent. The word cockney is from Middle English (1100-1500); originally it meant 'a pampered child'. By extension it came to mean a towndweller.
Forget Dickens: no one today says werry for very. And no one sounds like Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins either I am unsure how extensively rhyming slang was used, but some expressions, usually abbreviated to one word, are still in everyday use. As you will see from some of the newer definitions, it lives on.
Adam and Eve Apples and pears Barnet Fair (abbreviated to barnet) Boat Race Bricks and mortar Butcher's hook (abbreviated to butcher's) China plate (abbreviated to china) Cream-crackered. Dog and bone Jam jar Pen and ink Rub-a-dub-dub Ruby Murray (abbreviated to ruby). Sharon Stone (abbreviated to sharon). More to Come!
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Believe: "Would you Adam and Eve it?" Still in use.
Stairs
Hair: "Like yer barnet. 'Ave you just 'ad it done?" Still in use.
Barnet Fair was a horse fair held at Barnet, then in Hertfordshire but now part of north London. Too far from the East End, and far too posh ever to be described as cockney.
Face
Daughter
Look: "'Ere, 'ave a butcher's at this." Still in everyday use.
Mate (not your 'life partner' but your friend): "'Allo, me old china."
Still in use. Knackered, that is, exhausted, worn out (people and things). The knacker's yard is where old or unwanted animals are slaughtered. Knackers is a slang (and impolite!!!) expression for testicles.
The cream cracker (known as a soda cracker in the US I believe), is a dry, unsweetened biscuit usually eaten with cheese.
Phone. Or you could say ...
I think that most people today would refer to their motor rather than using this expression.
Stink. "Your dog don't 'alf pen and ink."
The pub, the 'local'. Although it exists, I have never heard this particular term used to refer to one's favourite hostelry. I suspect it is no longer in use.
Curry: "Fancy a ruby?" Forget roast beef and Yorkshire pud, or fish and chips. Apparently curry is Britain's favourite food.
Ruby Murray was a singer who died in 1996 aged only 61. I wouldn't have heard of her, had it not been for my uncle who raved about her: she used to come into the restaurant where he worked.
Phone. I told you it was a living tradition
© Tricia Donovan 2000 (except for HTML coding for displaying bordered backgrounds, which is courtesy of Enchanted Backgrounds)