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The Archives -  May 2003

 


Just a Bit of Fun

Cockney Rhyming Slang
 

The origin of Cockney Rhyming Slang  is uncertain. It's not really a language since the words spoken are clearly English; on the other hand, it's not a dialect either, since the speakers of this slang are also perfectly capable of not using it! Some stories go that this slang originated in the market place so that the vendor's could communicate without the customers knowing what was being said - you wouldn't want your customers knowing that you were going to lower your prices in ten minutes so you could go home early. Other stories have it that it originated in the prisons so that inmates could talk without the guards listening in.

 It is also suggested that it was born shortly after Sir Robert Peel introduced and implemented his idea for a Police force. The criminal fraternity had never been faced with such a concerted effort to thwart them, so they developed Cockney Slang, the idea of which being that, two or more criminals could hold open conversation, within earshot of a "Peeler," without fear that their plans were being overheard by the police."  Perhaps many of the rhymes were invented by the petty thieves to rob people in the markets, allowing the thieves to talk amongst themselves without anyone knowing what they were talking about

It doesn't really matter where it comes from - the important thing is that it exists today just as it has for many, many years and can provide a wonderful, colourful language in everyday life.

Below is just a small sample to have fun with down the 'Rub a dub dub'

 


Adam and Eve - Believe
Apples and Pears - Stairs
Ascot Races - Braces
Aristotle - Bottle
Almond Rocks - Socks
April Fools - Football Pools
Artful Dodger - Lodger
Auntie Lily - Silly

oOo

Baked Bean - Queen Elizabeth II
Baker's Dozen - Cousin
Ball and Chalk - Walk
Barnaby Rudge - Judge
Barnacle Bills - Testicles
Barnet Fair - Hair
Bees and Honey - Money
Bee's Knees - Business
Bird Lime - Time
Boat Race - Face
Bob Hope - Soap
Bo Peep - Sleep
Bottle Stopper - Copper (Police Officer)
Brahms and Liszt - Pissed (Drunk)
Brass Tacks - Facts
Brassic (Boracic Lint) - Skint
Bread and Honey - Money
Bricks and Mortar - Daughter
Brown Bread - Dead
Butcher's Hook - Look

oOo

Cain and Abel - Table
Canary - Fairy (Gay)
Canoes - Shoes
Captain Cook - Book
Captain Kirk - Work
Cash and Carry - Marry
Cat and Mouse - House
Cat and Dog - Bog (Toilet)
Charlie Brown - Clown
Charlie Dicken - Chicken
Current Bun - Sun
China Plate - Mate
Cockle and Hen - Ten

oOo

Daisy Roots - Boots
Darby and Joan - Moan
Darling Daughter - Water
David Bowie - Blowy (Windy)
Dead Loss - Boss
Desperate Dan - Suntan
Dicky Bird - Word
Dicky Dirt - Shirt
Ding Dong Bell - Hell
Dinky Doos - Shoes
Dog and Bone - Telephone
Dorothy Squires - Tyres
D'Oyly Carte - Fart
Drip Dry - Cry
Duck and Dive - Skive
Duck's Arse - Grass (Informant)
Dudley Moores - Sores
Duke of Kent - Rent
Dunkirk - Work
Dustbin Lids - Kids

oOo

East & West - Vest
Elephant and Castle - Arse Hole
Errol Flynn - Chin
Evening Breeze - Cheese
Everton Toffee - Coffee
Eyes of Blue - True

oOo

Family Tree - Lavatory
Fanny Blair - Hair
Fanny Hill - Pill (Contraceptive)
Fat and Wide - Bride
Fiddle De Dee - Pee / Wee
First Aid Kits - Tits (Breasts)
Fish and Chips - Tips (Gratuities)
Flowery Dell - Cell
Four by Two - Jew
Francis Drakes - Brakes
Frankie Howard - Coward
Frankie Vaughan - Prawn
Fred Astaire - Hair
French Kiss - Piss (Urinate)
Frog & Toad - Road
Frying Pan - Fan

oOo

Gay Gordon - Parking Warden
General Election - Erection (Standing Member)
Geoffrey Chaucer - Saucer
George Bernard Shaw - Door
Ginger Ale - Jail
Girls and Boys - Noise
Glasgow Ranger - Stranger
Glass of Plonk - Conk (Nose)
Glenn Hoddle - Doddle (Simple Task)
Gregory Peck - Cheque

oOo

Half Inch - Pinch (to steal)
Hampstead Heath - Teeth
Holy Ghost - Toast
Hot Cross Bun - Son
Isle of Wight - Light
Itch and Scratch - Match

oOo

Johnny Horner - Corner
Jam Jar - Car
Jam Tart - Heart
Joanna - Piano
Jackanory - Story
Jimmy Riddle - Piddle (Urinate)
Joe Brown - Town

oOo

Khyber Pass - Arse
Kick and Prance - Dance
Kippers - Slippers
Kitchen Sink - Drink

oOo

Lady Godiva - (Fiver) Five Pounds
Laugh and Titter - Bitter (Beer)
Lilley and Skinner - Dinner
Loaf of Bread - Head
Loop the Loop - Soup

oOo

Mince Pies - Eyes
Man on the Moon - Spoon
Mutt and Jeff - Deaf
Mother of Pearl - Girl
North and South - Mouth
Noah's Ark - Lark

oOo

Oily Rag - Fag (Cigarette)
Okey Doke - Poke
One's and Twos - Shoes
Oxford Scholar - Dollar

oOo

Paraffin Lamp - Tramp
Pen and Ink - Stink
Plates of Meat - Feet

oOo

Plink-Plonk - Wine
Pork Chops - Police (Pigs)
Porky Pies - Lies

oOo

Rabbit and Pork - Talk (Rabbit)
Rosie Lee - Tea
Rub-a-dub-dub - Pub
Ruby Murray - Curry

oOo

Sausage and Mash - Cash
Scotch Pegs - Legs
Screw - Prison Officer
Septic Tank - Yank
Skin and Blister - Sister
Syrup and Figs - Wigs
Sky Rocket - Pocket
Snout - Informant
Sweeny Todd - Police (Flying Squad)

oOo

Tea Leaf - Thief
Tiddlywink - Drink
Todd Sloane - On your own (todd)
Tom and Dick - Sick
Trouble and Strife - Wife

oOo

Uncle Ned - Bed

oOo

Vera Lynn - Gin

oOo

Whistle and Flute - Suit

oOo

 

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