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Cockney rhyming slang (sometimes intitialized as CRS) is a form of English slang which originated in the East End of London.

Overview

Rhyming slang works by replacing words with short phrases which include a word which rhymes with the original one (and sometimes removing the rhyming part). For instance, the term "boat race" (or just "boat") might be used to refer to a person's "face", "plates of meat" (or just "plates") would mean "feet", and "bees and honey" (or just "bees") would mean "money".

The origins of rhyming slang are disputed. It remains a matter of speculation as to whether it was a linguistic accident or whether it developed intentionally to confuse non-locals. If deliberate, it might have simply been to maintain a sense of community ; or to be used in the marketplace for vendors to talk amongst themselves without customers knowing what they were saying ; or have been criminals (see thieves' cant) to confuse the police and tax collectors.

The proliferation of rhyming slang has meant many of its traditional expressions have passed into common language, and the creation of new ones (often ironically) is no longer restricted to Cockneys. Some substitutions have become relatively widespread in Britain, such as "have a butcher's" (which means to have a look, from the rhyming slang "butcher's hook"), and these are often now used without awareness of the original rhyming slang. Some words are much less taboo than their etymology would suggest: many people who would shun indecent expressions, unconsciously use some very indecent ones, but in coded form. Thus, many speakers would be horrified to learn that terms they use frequently, like "berk" (often used to mean "foolish person") and "cobblers" (often used to mean "what you just said is rubbish"), are actually (from Berkeley Hunt, meaning "cunt") and "cobbler's awls", meaning "balls").

The non-native speaker needs to be cautious in using CRS to "fit in". The extent of the use of the slang is often exaggerated, only a very few phrases are in everyday use, and many examples are only used by people who are discussing CRS (as on this page), or by people who are being ironic or are making up a term on the spot for a joke (often at the expense of the "septic" tourist).

This style of rhyming has spread through many English-speaking countries, where the original phrases are supplemented by rhymes created to fit local needs. Creation of rhyming slang has become a word game for people of many classes and regions. The term 'Cockney' rhyming slang is generally applied to these expansions to indicate the rhyming style; though arguably the term only applies to phrases used in the East End of London. Similar formations do exist in other parts of the United Kingdom; for example, in the East Midlands, the local accent has formed "Derby Road", which rhymes with "cold": a conjunction that would not be possible in any other dialect of the UK.

All slang is rooted in the era of its origin, and therefore some of the meaning of its original etymology will be lost as time passes. In the 1980s for example, "Kerry Packered" meant "knackered"; in the 1990s, "Veras" referred to Rizla rolling papers ("Vera Lynns" = "skins" = Rizlas), as popularized in the song "Ebeneezer Goode" by The Shamen; and in 2004, the term "Britneys" was used to mean "beers" (or in Ireland to mean "queers") via the music artist "Britney Spears".

Rhyming slang in popular culture

Musical artists such as Audio Bullys and The Streets use Cockney rhyming slang in almost all of their songs, while Cockney artists Chas & Dave regularly use Cockney rhyming slang in their songs. The UK punk scene of the late 70's brought along bands that glorified their working-class heritage: Sham 69 being a good example with their hit songs such as "The Cockney Kids are Innocent"; often audience members would chant the words "If you're proud to be a Cockney, clap your hands" in between songs. The term "Chas and Dave" is also cockney rhyming slang for "shave". Ian Dury who used rhyming slang throughout his career, even wrote a song for his solo debut New Boots and Panties! entitled Blackmail Man, an anti-racist song that utilized numerous derogatory rhyming slang for various ethnic minorities. The idiom even briefly made an appearance in the UK-based DJ reggae music of the 80s, in the hit "Cockney Translation" by Smiley Culture; this was followed a couple of years later by Domenick & Peter Metro's "Cockney and Yardie".

Rhyming slang is also often used in feature films, such as Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) (which contains a glossary of Cockney rhyming slang on the United States DVD version to assist the viewer), and on television (e.g. Minder, EastEnders) to lend authenticity to an East End setting. The theme song to The Italian Job, composed by Quincy Jones, contains many Cockney rhyming slang expressions. The lyrics by Don Black amused and fascinated the composer. Additionally, the schoolkid characters in the film To Sir With Love regularly speak in Cockney rhyming slang, which their new teacher Sidney Poitier finds impossible to understand; the film Austin Powers in Goldmember features a dialogue between Austin Powers and his father Nigel entirely in Cockney rhyming slang; and although due to its working-class origins rhyming slang is not generally associated with royalty, the character of Prince Wendell is heard to use Cockney rhyming slang on occasion in the television movie The 10th Kingdom.

The box office success Ocean's Eleven (2001) contains an apparent example of Cockney rhyming slang, when the character Basher Tarr (Don Cheadle) uses the slang "Barney" to mean "trouble," derived from Barney Rubble. In common usage, "Barney" does not mean trouble; it means an argument or a fight. Some argue that it is derived from "Barn Owl" which (in a Cockney accent) nearly rhymes with "row" (argument). However, the book Understanding British English, by Margaret E. Moore, Citadel Press, 1995, does not list "Barney" in its "Rhyming Slang" section. Furthermore, Slang and Its Analogues, by J.S. Farmer and W.E. Henley and originally printed in 1890, states that "Barney" (which can mean anything from a "lark" to a "row") is of unknown origin, and was used in print as early as 1865.

The film Green Street Hooligans (2005) features usage of Cockney rhyming slang as well as a brief explanation of the process the slang is derived from.

The film It's All Gone Pete Tong (2004) takes its title from Cockney rhyming slang - Pete Tong meaning wrong (however in this case the entire phrase is common in British English slang).

In the book Trainspotting, by Irvine Welsh, several of the characters use the phrase Joe Baxi to refer to a taxicab (taxi).

The film The Limey (1999) features Terrence Stamp as Wilson, a Cockney man recently released from prison who spices his conversations with rhyming slang:

Wilson: Can't be too careful nowadays, y'know? Lot of "tea leaves" about, know what I mean?

Warehouse Foreman: Excuse me?

Wilson: "Tea leaves"... "thieves."

Wilson: Eddy... yeah, he's me new "china."

Elaine: What?

Wilson: "China plate"... "mate."

Wilson: I'm gonna 'ave a "butcher's" round the house.

Ed Roel: Who you gonna butcher?

Wilson: "Butcher's hook"... "look."

In the film The Football Factory (2004) the character of Zebedee is berated for his occasional use of "that fucking muggy rhyming slang" by Billy Bright.

Anthony Burgess uses rhyming slang as a part of the fictitious "Nadsat" dialect in his book A Clockwork Orange.

In the Discworld novel Going Postal, rhyming slang is parodied with "Dimwell arrhythmic rhyming slang," which is like rhyming slang, but doesn't rhyme. An example of this is a wig being a prune, as wig doesn't, possibly by a complex set of unspoken rules, rhyme with "syrup of prunes." (In Britain a widely used example of real rhyming slang is syrup = syrup of fig(s) = wig).

The British comedy series Mind Your Language (1977) had a whole episode dedicated to cockney rhyming slang.

In the film Mr. Lucky (1943), Cary Grant's character teaches rhyming slang to his female companion.

Common examples

Butcher's = butcher's hook = look
China = china plate = mate
Dog = dog-and-bone = telephone
Frog = frog-and-toad = road
Jam Jar = car
Morris = Morris Dancer = dancer
Pete = Pete Tong = wrong
Rosie = Rosie Lee = tea
Septic = Septic Tank = Yank (American)
Trouble = trouble and strife = wife
Porkies = porky pies = lies
Barney = "Barney Rubble" = trouble

References

Ayto, John. 2002. The Oxford Dictionary of Rhyming Slang. Oxford University Press.

Franklyn, Julian. 1960. A Dictionary of Rhyming Slang. Routledge.

Green, Jonathon. 2000. Cassell's Rhyming Slang. Cassell.

Lillo, Antonio. 1996. "Drinking and Drug-Addiction Terms in Rhyming Slang". In Comments on Etymology 25 (6): pp. 1-23.

Lillo, Antonio. 1998. "Origin of Cockney Slang Dicky Dirt". In Comments on Etymology 27 (8): pp. 16-20.

Lillo, Antonio. 1999. "More on Sausage and Mash 'Cash'". In Gerald L. Cohen and Barry Popik (eds.), Studies in Slang. Part VI. Peter Lang, pp. 87-89.

Lillo, Antonio. 2000. "Bees, Nelsons, and Sterling Denominations: A Brief Look at Cockney Slang and Coinage". In Journal of English Linguistics 28 (2): pp. 145-172.

Lillo, Antonio. 2001. "The Rhyming Slang of the Junkie". In English Today 17 (2): pp. 39-45.

Lillo, Antonio. 2001. "From Alsatian Dog to Wooden Shoe: Linguistic Xenophobia in Rhyming Slang". In English Studies 82 (4): pp. 336-348.

Lillo, Antonio. 2004. "A Wee Keek at Scottish Rhyming Slang". In Scottish Language 23: pp. 93-115.

Lillo, Antonio. 2004. "Exploring Rhyming Slang in Ireland". In English World-Wide 25 (2): pp. 273-285.

Lillo, Antonio. 2006. "Cut-down Puns". In English Today 22 (1): pp. 36-44.

External links

@@ Line 68: / Line 68: @@
 *Frog = ''frog-and-toad'' = road
 *Jam Jar = car
-*Morris Dancer = dancer
+*Morris = Morris Dancer = dancer
 *Pete = ''[[Pete Tong]]'' = wrong
 *Rosie = ''[[Gypsy Rose Lee|Rosie Lee]]'' = tea