[Closed] Rhyming slang

No.
Just say what you actually mean. Everyone will then be able to understand you and communication will be easier.

I refer to hair as barnet. Don't know where I picked it up from.

As a kid I was always told at bedtime to go up the apple and pears. We are from North Yorkshire (born and bred) so no connection to London at all. Can't say I agree with Just say what you actually mean. Everyone will then be able to understand you and communication will be easier. though - it's not exactly confusing for the vast majority of the time and I think it's good to have unusual quirks in language.

Just don't think that Berk is a nice, low level, friendly insult...

All the time.

This morning already, I have questioned one of my childrens ability to hear properly by asking if they might be Corned Beef.

I have also asked my boss what the Hampden is with this years bonus payments.

He'll be getting malkied if I don't like the answer.

Bobby Sands - hands.
Carol singers - fingers.
Chips & peas - knees.
Bob (Bobby Moore) - score.

Used those since school, probably a bit late to stop now...

Just don’t think that Berk is a nice, low level, friendly insult…

😉

Depending on my mood, when I feel the urge to visit the toilet, I might be going for a Barry, a Gladys or a Jedi.

Unless it's just a Single Fish.

Just say what you actually mean. Everyone will then be able to understand you and communication will be easier.

You're going to have to explain Barry. 🙂

And be careful of your Emma Freud's.

You’re going to have to explain Barry

Barry White

Just don’t think that Berk is a nice, low level, friendly insult…

Which is particularly lovely because it seems to be one of those ones that crept into common usage without 90% of its users realising what it meant.

🙂

And be careful of your Emma Freud’s.

My Ronson is in perfect working order, thank you.

Maybe I'm missing some hilarious in joke that has been going on for generations, but really what is the point?

Bobby Sands – hands.
Carol singers – fingers.
Chips & peas – knees.
Bob (Bobby Moore) – score.

Just say hands, fingers, knees or score.

For the silly rhyming code word to work both parties in the conversation need to know what the word that you are trying to avoid saying is, and also the rhyme/translation. I could maybe see the benefit if you are abbreviating, but these are longer than the word that you are avoiding saying.

I really can't imagine a situation where avoiding casual eavesdroppers knowing that you are talking about knees is worth the effort involved in setting up a new code and sharing it with both parties in advance.

Unless you are giving Carol a carol singer behind the bike sheds.

Occasionally refer to a backside as an "aris".

And be careful of your Emma Freud’s.

I would know that one as Nobbies, (Nobby Styles).

Can someone explain berk to me please? Intrigued.

I tried explaining rhyming slang to a Lebanese friend, he was completely bemused - both mum & dads side of the family had roots in Bethnal Green so I like to think it's part of my cultural heritage 😂

Berk and ronson for me, right o'er my head

Can someone explain berk to me please? Intrigued.

I believe Berkshire was associated with a hunt.

Can someone explain berk to me please? Intrigued.

Berkeley Hunt = Nigel Farage

Ronson Lighter = Bumhole

Can't wait until I can go back to the rubadub for a couple of Britneys.

Anyone who was maybe aggrieved went radio rental

Can’t wait until I can go back to the rubadub for a couple of Britneys.

Until then you can stay in and watch the Lorraine.

This bloody Miley is making people Pat and Mick

When this is all over I'll be up for a Leo.

I may have a quick pedal later

When this is all over I’ll be up for a Leo

Mike Rayer?

It's a dying art.

I try to educate the dustbins as best I can.... Get your Claire's on ? Where's ya peckham? Stop telling porkies! etc

But with the world getting a smaller place all the time, language condenses it seems... I hear lots of Americanism from the both the kids, bloody youtube, but then it's been that case for years ... it enough to make you Listerine 🙂

All dayer 🙂.

Perchy, do you never just keep it simple and go for an Eartha?

tthew

Subscriber

And be careful of your Emma Freud’s.

I would know that one as Nobbies, (Nobby Styles).

An embarrassment of itches riches Matt. 🙂

Never used Ronson. Always been a Gary round here.....

Gloriously went through this with an Australian. My experience is you don't verbalise the rhyming part. So Apples, plates, minces etc. At first, it was hysterical, he had no clue whatsoever. But we trained him up 🙂 Trust me, cockney rhyming slang translated through strine is a linguistic feast..

http://www.newsbiscuit.com/2020/03/04/cockneys-announce-miley-cyrus-as-official-rhyming-slang-for-coronavirus/

Perchy, do you never just keep it simple and go for an Eartha?

Np, but my Dad does. That's grampa style.

We keep our milk in a Mary...... Mary, Mungo and Midge ....fridge

When I go for a run I wear my Glorias......Gloria Gaynors ...trainers

My jeans are called Lesleys...Lesley Crowthers...trousers

I got told off by my brother last Thursday.

Dad came out of hospital and was taken back into his care home. I Whatsapped that I was going out to bang a saucepan lid for them. He thought that racist remark was unnecessary.

Never used Ronson. Always been a Gary round here…..

We don't really go in for Cockney rhyming slang round here.

It's the Glesga Patter intit.

Perchy, do you never just keep it simple and go for an Eartha?

or Pony?

I tend to use Gypsies, boat, barnett, mutton, ruby and a few other I can't think off at the moment. I'm from Leicester but my dad used to use quite a lot when I was a dustbin...

Not much rhyming slang up where I'm frae, we was arl lowpin owwer mowdiwaffs, but we did use Dipsy for a 5 pound note (deep sea diver)

The sad thing is I only know Eartha Kitt and Leo Sayer as rhyming slang. They could be entirely made up for all I know...

For the silly rhyming code word to work both parties in the conversation need to know what the word that you are trying to avoid saying is, and also the rhyme/translation. I could maybe see the benefit if you are abbreviating, but these are longer than the word that you are avoiding saying.

I really can’t imagine a situation where avoiding casual eavesdroppers knowing that you are talking about knees is worth the effort involved in setting up a new code and sharing it with both parties in advance.

You don’t seem to understand how these sorts of things work or develop. It’s happening right in front of your nose, with text speech used by kids, which changes practically overnight, hacker slang, the use of Yiddish words, Roma have a whole language of terms they use as a coded form of communication in front of outsiders. Cockney slang just developed over time to hide what was being said from bosses or other outsiders, and usage would spread fairly quickly through tight-knit communities.
As someone above said, it’s usually only a small part of a phrase that’s used, like “my plates are killing me” (Plates of meat = feet): or keep your mincers peeled (keep your mince pies = eyes).
It’s something that just evolves over time. Thieves used to use something similar, called thieves kant IIRC.

Trust me, cockney rhyming slang translated through strine is a linguistic feast..

I have a theory that the Australian accent is really just cockney anyway, only with your front teeth clenched together to keep the flies out.

Scarper! It's the Sweeney ^^^

This morning already, I have questioned one of my childrens ability to hear properly by asking if they might be Corned Beef.

Its Mutt and Jeff, after a cartoon strip.

Its Mutt and Jeff, after a cartoon strip.

In Cockney rhyming slang, perhaps,

Glasgow rhyming slang tends to follow the vernacular spoken word rather than the written.
We'd generally say Deef rather than Def.

So, Corned Beef = Deef.

We'd also generally say shite rather than shit which is why it's Gladys rather then Eartha and Ronson instead of Gary.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thieve s'_cant

@onzadog

I believe Berkshire was associated with a hunt.

Not Berkshire, though, it was the Berkeley Hunt...

Carrying on from the Razzle thread a wee while ago ham shank

My jeans are called Lesleys…Lesley Crowthers…trousers

In the 70s you would have referred to them as Lionels

Variation on a theme... Kuwaiti tanker.

I've always thought Berkshire, though I think I discovered that via the internet rather than organically.

As a former Londoner, we used to use it fairly often but sparingly. Just the odd word here and there.

Gloriously went through this with an Australian. My experience is you don’t verbalise the rhyming part. So Apples, plates, minces etc.

My nan (London born and bred) took it to the next level. In her house, stairs were "the fruit".

Glasgow rhyming slang tends to follow the vernacular spoken word rather than the written.
We’d generally say Deef rather than Def.

Strange. Try as I might, I can't read Perchy's posts in a Scottish accent.

Try as I might, I can’t read Perchy’s posts in a Scottish accent.

That's because i write them in a Home Counties RP accent to confuse people.

We had...

Sky Diver = Fiver
Sky Rocket = Pocket
Paul Weller = Pint of Stella
Grid = Face
Kite = Face

Had no idea Berk was short for Berkshire Hunt

That's cos it's Berkeley Hunt, not Berkshire 😉

Use it all the time.  Going for an Eartha after a stemaing Ruby. Rabbitting on, telling porkies, bish bash bosh.

Take a butcher's... would you adam and eve it?

Pony would be more associated with numbers/cash (£25) than going for a 2 bob bit.

We'd often use "pony (and trap)" to describe something as being a bit rubbish.

Never for number twos though.

Bengal lancer describing a confident risk taker

Rabbitting on

I say that all the time. Had no idea it was rhyming slang! (ditto Berk)

ham shank

Or a Sherman.

somewhatslightlydazed
Member

My jeans are called Lesleys…Lesley Crowthers…trousers

In the 70s you would have referred to them as Lionels

Ahh... Lionel Blairs - trousers.

?!

Ahh… Lionel Blairs – trousers.

I'd imagine it's a certain type of wide bottomed trouserage.

Ooh 'ello Mr 'Orne! Bona to vada your eek!

Polari - which has a similar root to rhyming slang in that it stops outsiders understanding what's being said.

I’d imagine it’s a certain type of wide bottomed trouserage.

https://flic.kr/p/nVfyA

[Spinal Tap] "......talk about bumcakes, my girl's got 'em" [/Spinal Tap]

Cockney slang just developed over time to hide what was being said from bosses or other outsiders, and usage would spread fairly quickly through tight-knit communities.

Imagine being part of that exclusive, tight knit community having illicit conversations about exotic, forbidden things such as stairs, knees or feet.

The bosses and outsiders must have been so frustrated only understanding half of the conversation.

Imagine being part of that exclusive, tight knit community having illicit conversations about exotic, forbidden things such as stairs, knees or feet.

Considerably more exotic and forbidden if you throw someone down the fruits and nail their plates to the floor before shooting them in the chips.

In every civilised language, we look for ways to say things quickly, efficiently and clearly.
In cockney, they look for ways to say simple things incomprehensibly with three times more words

we look for ways to say things quickly, efficiently and clearly.

Concisely?

'a quick J Arthur'

timeless

Well yes, but you have to consider your audience

consider your audience

Could be worse. Could be verlan. Like French isn't hard enough.

I was amazed when Tim Wannacot left Bargain Hunt and the name stayed the same. Up til then I’d assumed it was rhyming slang for the presenter.