UNDERSTANDING COCKNEY
ŽSV, 1. rujna 2011.
Marinko Uremović
COCKNEY
• Geographically and culturally, it often refers to
working class Londoners, particularly those in
the East End.
• Linguistically, it refers to the form of English
spoken by this group.
Features of Cockney English
• Possessive me – me house
• Drop the ‘h’ sound – I’m ‘aving…
• Pronunciation of ‘th’ (thief, this, brother)
• Question tags – innit
• Double negative ’ I didn't see nuffink.’
COCKNEY RHYMING SLANG
• Slang is the use of informal words and
expressions that are not considered standard in
the speaker's dialect or language.
HISTORY
• John Camden Hotten in his 1859 Dictionary of
Modern Slang, Cant and Vulgar Words writes
about (English) rhyming slang originated in the
1840s with costermongers.
• Used by criminals in order to hide true meaning
from the police.
• Nowadays cockney rhyming slang is used mostly
when talking about some dodgy business
(obscene words, basic phyiscal needs, men
commenting on women) or when you want to
obscure the meaning of what is said from
outsiders.
• Some expressions have become a part of
standard English (Use your loaf!)
Used in contemporary culture:
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Guy Ritchie movies
Only Fools and Horses
Clockwork Orange
Mind Your Language
Austin Powers – Goldmember
Eastenders
Various songs
• Not indigenous to East London any more
• Cockney Rhyming Slang can be found
throughout the UK, America, Australia…
How is it used?
• ‘Ello me ol’ China, I ‘aven’t seen you in donkeys.
• ‘Ello me ol’ China, I ‘aven’t seen you in donkeys.
• China Plate
• Donkey’s ears
• China Plate =mate
• Donkey’s ears = years
• ‘Ello me ol’ China (Plate), I ‘aven’t seen you in
donkey’s (ears).
• Hello my old mate, I haven’t seen you in years.
Bull and cow
• row, fight
Trouble and Strife
• wife
• Me trouble is waiting for me.
Dustbin Lids
• kids
• Alternative: teapot lids
Frog and Toad
• road
Rub a Dub
• pub
Brahms and Liszt
• pissed
• He's well Brahms and Liszt , don't give ‘im any
more to drink.
Jack the Dandy
• brandy
Dickie Dirt
• shirt
Daisy Roots
• boots
Apples and Pears
• stairs
Hampstead Heath
• teeth
• I'm going down the dentists to get me
hampsteads checked.
Half-inch
• pinch (steal)
• Someone's half-inched me pint!
Rabbit and Pork
• Talk
• He would not stop rabbitting!
Rosie Lee
• Tea
• Fancy a cup of Rosie Lee?
Dog and bone
• phone
Cherry Hogg
• dog
Pork pie
• lie
• Blimey - he gets two beers in ‘im and he starts
telling porkies.
Scooby-Doo
• clue
• I haven't got a scooby.
Mutt and Jeff (mutton)
• deaf
• He’s mutt and jeff. You have to talk up.
Boat race
• face
• She looks awright from behind, but you wanna
see the boat mate
Butcher’s Hook
• look
• Have a butchers at that geezer!
Loaf of Bread
• head
• Use your loaf next time!
Mince Pies
• eyes
• What nice mince pies she’s got!
Barnet Fair
• hair
• I'm 'avin my Barnet chopped on sa'aday.
Bees and honey
• money
• Can't go in there without any bees.
Ginger Beer
• queer, homosexual
Donkey’s Ears
• years
Plates of Meat
• feet
• I need to rest me plates for a moment!
Pig’s ear
• beer
• Come on, let me buy you a pig in a rub a dub.
Nelly Duff
• puff, breath – life
• Not on your Nelly!
All Time Loser
• boozer
North and South
• mouth
• What big north she’s got!
Adam and Eve
• believe
• I just can’t Adam and Eve it!
Gregory Peck
• Neck
• Get that pint dahn yer Gregory.
Whistle and Flute
• suit
• Fancy whistle, me old China!
Barney Rouble
• trouble
• He got into a real barney last night!
Dickory Dock
• clock
• I need to be home before dickory hits twelve.
Lady Godiva
• fiver, five pounds
Jam Jar
• car
Brown Bread
• dead
Classic Cockney vs. mockney vs.
popney
• Classic Cockney – well established with long
history
• Mockney – Cockney spoken by people coming
from a middle or upper-middle
class background
(Guy Ritchie, Jamie Oliver, Lily Allen)
• Popney – modern slang depicting contemporary
celebrities (Britney Spears, Bradd Pitt, Emma
Freuds)
Difficulties
• Cultural references (mutt and jeff)
• Geographical references (Hampstead Heath)
• Prone to change (Britney Spears for beers)
• A lot of profanity
• Cockney will die out in the next generation
• Would you use it in your class?
• Why or why not?
• How would you use it?
• Tom Hanks for your attention!