Hello, dear readers! Today, we're going to explore the fascinating world of Cockney Rhyming Slang. It's a special way of talking you might hear in the East End of London. It can be a bit confusing, but don't worry; I'm here to help you understand it!
Cockney Rhyming Slang started a long time ago in the East End of London. People there used it to talk in a secret code. It works by replacing words with others that rhyme or sound similar. This way, they could talk without outsiders understanding. Over time, it became a unique part of East End culture.
Imagine you want to say "wife." In Cockney, you might say "trouble and strife." The clever part is that people usually only say the first word, so they'd just say "trouble" to mean "wife."
Now, let's have a little quiz! Can you guess what these Cockney phrases mean? We'll give you the answers later.
Apples and Pears
Butcher’s hook
Dog and bone
Mince pies
Porky pie
Barney Rubble
Boat Race
Brass Tacks
Brown Bread
Dicky bird
Dicky Dirt
Frog and Toad
Hank Marvin
Jimmy Riddle
Plates of meat
Rosy Lee
Tea leaf
Trouble and strife
Adam and Eve
You might think Cockney Rhyming Slang is old-fashioned, but it's still a part of East End culture. While not as many people use it fluently, some words and phrases have become part of regular English.
Cockney Rhyming Slang is like a time machine, keeping pieces of history and tradition. So, next time you're in the East End, and someone asks if you fancy a "butcher's," you'll know they're not talking about meat. They're sharing a piece of London's colourful language. Now, check below for a funny story to try and help you work out what the phrases mean. The answers are below. Enjoy the world of Cockney Rhyming Slang!
Extra practice
Once upon a time in the heart of London's East End, there lived a cheeky Cockney named Tommy. Tommy had a penchant for telling tails, often serving up a delightful dish of porky pies to his mates. One sunny afternoon, he was sitting in his cosy living room, sipping a cup of rosy Lee, and staring at his telly. His trouble and strife, a lovely woman named Lucy, was busy in the kitchen, rustling up a delicious meal.
Tommy decided to pop outside for some fresh air. With a mischievous glint in his mince pies, he gave Lucy a kiss on the boat race and told her, "I'll be back in a jiffy, love. Just need to exercise my plates of meat."
As Tommy strolled down the frog and toad and into the bustling streets, he couldn't help but notice a group of children playing near the market on the apple and pairs. They were having a right old giggle, and it put a big smile on his boat race. But then he overheard something that got him thinking about brass tacks.
One of the kids pointed at a man who was sneaking around the corner with a bag of swag. "Look, it's a tea leaf!" The others laughed and Tommy realised that he couldn't let that slide.
Determined to keep his manor safe, Tommy followed the tea leaf who was wearing a bright blue dicky dirt, like a seasoned detective. He tracked him down a dark alley, peeking around a corner to have a butcher's hook. He couldn't Adam and Eve it when he saw the tea leaf having a Jimmy riddle in the street.
Tommy knew he needed to take action. He whipped out his dog and bone and dialled Lucy's number to alert her to the situation. "Lucy, love, you won't believe it. I've found a tea leaf!" he explained, his voice filled with urgency.
Lucy didn't waste a second. She called the police and said "I need to have a dicky bird with the detective, I have some information on the thief" while Tommy kept an eye on the ne'er-do-well, providing a running commentary on the blower. Within minutes, the boys in blue arrived on the scene, and the tea leaf found himself in a whole heap of Barney Rubble.
Tommy returned home, feeling a sense of pride. He had prevented a crime in his manor, and he knew he had done the right thing. Lucy greeted him with a big hug and a cup of Rosy Lee, Tommy said he was Hank Marvin after all the excitement and they had the meal Lucy had been making. That night he slept so well he might as well have been Brown Bread he was so tired.
What did they mean
Apples and Pears - Stairs
Butcher’s hook - Look
Dog and bone - Phone
Mince pies - Eyes
Porky pie - Lie
Barney Rubble - Trouble
Boat Race - Face
Brass Tacks - Facts
Brown Bread - Dead
Dicky bird - Word
Dicky Dirt - Shirt
Frog and Toad - Road
Hank Marvin - Starvin'
Jimmy Riddle - Piddle (Urination)
Plates of meat - Feet
Rosy Lee - Tea
Tea leaf - Thief
Trouble and strife - Wife
Adam and Eve - Believe
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