Sir Winston Churchill once observed that
Americans and the British are 'a common people divided by a common language' ...
Never was that as true as when describing the Cockneys.
You've certainly heard their accent, made famous in everything from movies based
on Dickens and George Bernard Shaw novels to computer-generated gekkos telling
real gekkos how to go forth and sell car insurance. The Australian accent has
its roots in Cockney culture, as they comprised a large percentage of prisoners
who were shipped there by the British when they viewed the Land Down Under as an
ideal penal colony. Cockneys are the crafty characters from east London who
admire those among their lot who can make a living simply by 'ducking and
diving, mate,' which is their version of wheeling and dealing on a working-class
level.
To be a 'true' Cockney, one must be born 'within the sounds of the Bow bells.'
That's a reference to the St Mary-le-Bow Church in the Cheapside district of
London 'proper.' Their sound carries to a distance of approximately three miles,
which defines the Cockney digs better than any zoning ordinance could do.
The term 'Cockney' first appeared in the 1600s, but its actual origins are
vague. Its first known reference was related to the Bow bells themselves in a
period satire that gave no reason for the association.
Some believe that 'Cockney' came from the second wave of Vikings, known as the
Normans. These were descendants of the Northmen ('Norman' was the French word
for 'Viking') who settled in that part of northern France that came to be known
as Normandy when King Charles the Simple ceded it to the Vikings in exchange for
ceasing their annual summer sackings of Paris. William the Conqueror was a
Norman, and when he took England in 1066, a considerable amount of French
influence permeated the Anglican language.
Normans often referred to London as the Land of Sugar Cake, or 'Pais de Cocaigne,'
which was an allusion to what they saw as 'the good life' that could be had by
living there. Ultimately, this gave rise to a term for being spoiled, 'cockering,'
and from there, Cockney was a short derivative away.
Cockneys are famous for dropping the 'H' from the start of words and infamous in
the mind of every grammar teacher for their coining the word 'ain't' to replace
the formal contraction for 'is not.' However, their most unique feature is their
distinctive and catchy rhyming slang.
Legend has it that, during the course of their 'ducking and diving,' they would
occasionally run afoul of the law. It was not uncommon for groups of Cockneys to
be transported together to and from custody and courtroom, obviously in the
company of policemen. So that they could speak openly to each other and deny the
officers any ability to understand what they were saying, Cockneys devised a
word/phrase association system that only the truly-indoctrinated could follow.
This became known as their rhyming slang.
It's simple, really. For example:
Dog-and-bone = telephone
Apples-and-pears = stairs
Troubles-and-strife = wife
So, if a Cockney wanted you to go upstairs to tell his wife that there's a phone
call for her, he'd ask you to 'take the apples and tell the trouble she's wanted
on the dog.'
As a general observation, their technique is that the second word of a rhyming
phrase is the link between the 'translated' word and the first word in the
rhyming phrase, which becomes the word used when speaking. Sometimes, though, to
emphasize the word, the entire phrase might be used. Thus, if you are absolutely
exhausted and want to make a point of it, you would exclaim, 'I'm cream
crackered!' This is because 'knackered' is an English term for being tired;
cream crackers, incidentally, go well with tea.
There are even dictionaries for Cockney rhyming slang, from pocket versions
tailored for tourists to online listings. Two good sites for the latter are
London Slang and Cockney Rhyming Slang. As with most slang, its vibrancy is
cause for constant expansion and/or modification of terms, so the Cockney rhymes
are always a work in progress.
One note of caution: nothing sounds worse than a visitor attempting to
over-Cockney their speech. If you're thinking of touring an East End market or
pub and want to pay your respects by using the local vernacular, be prepared
with a few simple terms and deploy them with a smile only when the occasion
permits. Otherwise, not being sure if you're 'taking the Mickey' out of them or
just ignorant, the Cockneys will most likely view you as a 'right Charley Ronce'
and turn away.
Given that 'ponce' is common English slang for a fool --- which had its origins
in describing a 'fancy man,' now known as a 'pimp' in modern times --- you may
first need a 'British' translator to tell you what word the Cockney was using.
By that time, you'll no doubt agree that Churchill wasn't 'alf Pete Tong (ie-
wrong).
In fact, he didn't even need to refer to another country in order to be right.
About The Author
J Square Humboldt is the featured columnist at Longer Life's website,
which provides information designed to improve the quality of living. He's
at
http://longerlifegroup.com/cyberiter.html
Article Source:
www.isnare.com