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Rhyming Slang
I am often asked, especially by American readers, to explain Cockney rhyming slang.
Nobody really knows its origin. It was said to be the London criminals' way of conversing without the police knowing what they were saying; but since the prime users of it, other than criminals, are the police, it doesn't seem to have worked!
The idea is to rhyme the word you want with a phrase, and then say only the non-rhyming part of the phrase. So for instance 'teeth' become 'Hampsteads' via 'Hampstead Heath'.
Here is a selection:
| Apples - apples and pears - stairs |
Mutton - Mutt 'n' Jeff - deaf |
| Barnet - Barnet fair - hair |
Pen - pen and ink - stink |
| Boat - boat race - face |
Plates - plates of meat - feet |
| China - china plate - mate |
Porkie - pork pie - lie |
| Dog - dog and bone - phone |
Rosy - Rosy Lee - tea |
| Elephant's - elephant's trunk - drunk |
Ruby - Ruby Murray - curry |
| Frog - frog and toad - road |
Scarper - Scapa Flow - go (run away) |
| Germans - German bands - hands |
Scotches - Scotch eggs - legs |
| Gregory - Gregory Peck - cheque |
Syrup - syrup of figs - wig |
| Hampsteads - Hampstead Heath - teeth |
Titfer - tit for tat - hat |
| Kettle - kettle and hob - fob (watch) |
Tom - tom foolery - jewellery |
| Lilian - Lilian Gish - fish |
Weasel - weasel and stoat - coat |
| Loaf - loaf of bread - head |
Whistle - whistle and flute - suit |
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