The Cockney
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Gymnázium Zlín - Lesní čtvrť
CZ.1.07/1.5.00/34.0484
Rozvoj žákovských kompetencí pro 21. století
III/2 Inovace a zkvalitnění výuky prostřednictvím ICT
The Cockney
VY_32_INOVACE_08_3_04
Mgr. Dagmar Daňková
25. 2. 2013
Jazyk a jazyková komunikace
Cizí jazyk
Anglicky mluvící země
1.- 4. ročník gymnázia (úroveň B1+)
www.zlinskedumy.cz
Tento projekt je spolufinancován Evropským sociálním fondem a státním rozpočtem České republiky
1 The Cockney
1.1 Text
Almost everyone who has heard of London has heard of the term “Cockney”.
The word “cockney” originally meant a cock´s egg, which was a misshapen egg sometimes
laid by young hens. These eggs were weaker than normal eggs, so country people used the
nickname “cockney” for people who lived in towns, because they thought they were weaker
than country people. By the 17th century, the word “cockney“ was used to describe a Londoner.
Strictly speaking, in order to call oneself a Cockney one should have been born ”within the
sound of Bow bells“, that is to say within the sound of the bells of the church of St Mary-leBow, which stands nearly in the centre of the City of London. (The Bow Bells rang to tell
people to put out their fires before going to bed, which was quite a common thing in Medieval
Europe.) But, in fact, all London´s citizens who were born and bred in the city may call themselves Cockneys if they wish. However, the term is generally reserved for the Londoner with
a “Cockney accent“.
The Cockney accent is not a particularly pleasant or melodious one, and the Cockney´s distortion of the English language is such that the foreigner often finds it impossible to understand the speaker until his ear has become acclimatised to the peculiar tones. The principal
characteristics of the Cockney accent consist in a general slurring of consonants (the aspirate aitch is often ignored – “h-dropping”) and a distortion of vowel sounds. The best known
example of Cockney speech in modern English literature is that of Eliza Doolittle, the heroine
of Bernard Shaw´s play, Pygmalion and of the musical adapted from it, My Fair Lady.
But if Cockney speech is unpleasant, the Cockney himself is usually far from being so. The
average Cockney is distinguished by his quick wit, his ready sense of humour, his ability to
carry on under unusual or difficult conditions and by his willingness to be of help if he can.
The Cockney´s humour is often satirical but it is never vicious; he is ready to laugh at other
people´s peculiarities but he is equally ready to laugh at his own. He often makes jokes under the most difficult conditions, a quality that was very apparent during World War II.
Most people who call themselves Cockneys usually do so with some pride. And, by and
large, they are justified.
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1.1.1 Questions
1. What is the origin of the word “cockney”?
2. What is the strict definition of a Cockney?
3. Where is the church of St Mary-le-Bow situated? What did the bells remind people to do?
4. What are the main characteristics of the Cockney accent?
5. What are the characteristics of the Cockneys themselves? When were these characteristics really noticeable?
6. How do the Cockneys feel about their name?
1.2 Cockney rhyming slang
Many Cockney expressions seem mysterious because they are based on “rhyming slang”,
where
the
original
words
are
replaced
by
words
that
rhyme
with
them.
Over the years, Cockneys developed a set of secret code words which only other Cockneys
could understand – for example, if a Cockney says “he´s on the dog and bone”, he really
means that he´s on the phone. Cockney rhyming slang was originally invented so that people
could talk in secret. If you spoke in Cockney rhyming slang, people in authority, such as policemen, or anybody trying to overhear you, wouldn´t be able to understand.
1.2.1 Activity
Students in pair study the examples of Cockney rhyming slang and decide on the meaning of
the words in bold.
1. Give us your bees and honey or I´ll shoot!
2. Get up those apples and pears to bed!
3. The girl put the money in her sky rocket.
4. That guy was a tea leaf so he spent some time in prison.
5. He put the whole cake in his north and south.
6. When you have a minute to talk, just pick up the old dog and bone.
7. Can you Adam and Eve it?
8. If you´re lucky, you´ll get to meet the baked bean.
9. That dog worked really hard, but now he´s brown bread.
10. It´s nice and sunny. Put some cream on and brown your bacon and eggs.
11. Don´t be so silly. Just use your loaf of bread.
Note
In Cockney rhyming slang the rhyming word is often dropped in use, for example Get up
those apples!; Brown your bacons!; Use your loaf!; Give us your bees!
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1.3 Received Pronunciation
Received Pronunciation (RP) is the form of English, on which most British English language
dictionaries, textbooks and pronunciation materials are based. However, it is currently spoken in its pure form by less than 6 % of the population. The term RP refers to accent and not
to grammar or vocabulary. Although it derives from the accent of the southern part of Britain,
it is a style of speech based on social class and not on geographical region. People used to
send their children to expensive public schools or pay for “elocution lessons” so that they
would learn how to speak RP; however, nowadays many young people in England are trying
to speak in a more informal way. In the past, BBC announcers used to speak with an RP
accent, but nowadays modified regional accents are increasingly acceptable, even actively
sought out.
1.3.1 Discussion
How acceptable are regional accents in your country? Do you have an equivalent of RP (Received Pronunciation)?
Does the pronunciation of younger people differ from that of older people? In what ways?
Which form of English pronunciation have you learnt? Which form would you like to use
when you speak, any why?
2 Resources
CLANDFIELD, L. a kol. Global: Advanced coursebook. Oxford: Macmillan Education, 2012.
ISBN 978-023-0033-276.
Oxford Guide to British and American culture for learners of English. Editor Jonathan
Crowther, Kathryn Kavanagh. Oxford: Oxford University Press, c1999, viii, 599 s., C32 s. obr.
příl. ISBN 01-943-1332-8.
ROOM, Adrian. An A to Z of British life. Oxford: Oxford University Press, c1990, viii, 480 s.
ISBN 01-943-1144-9.
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MACKENZIE, M. D. Munro a L. J. WESTWOOD. Background to Britain. London: Macmillan,
1993. ISBN 03-333-6119-9.
Received Pronunciation. In: Wikipedia: the free encyclopedia [online]. San Francisco (CA):
Wikimedia Foundation, 2001- [cit. 2013-02-20]. Dostupné z:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Received_Pronunciation
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