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WORDS BELONGA HAMLET |
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Numerous works of literature have been translated into pidgin languages. Translated into the pidgin English of the Solomon Islanders, Shakespeare's most famous speech appears in these words: |
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'Which way this time? Me killem die finish body b'long me Or me no do 'im? Me no savvy. Might 'e better 'long you-me catchem this fella string for throw 'im this fella arrow. Altogether b'long number one bad fella, name b'long him fortune? me no savvy. Might 'e better 'long you-me. For fightem 'long altogether where him 'e makem you-me sorry too much. Bimeby him fall down die finish? me no savvy.' |
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In English the same lines - from the prince's soliloquy on suicide in Hamlet (Act 3, Scene 2) - are: |
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'To be or not to be: That is the question; Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And by opposing end them? |
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| RHYMING SLANG | |
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Rhyming Slang - the traditional language of Cockney Londoners - can be traced back to the 17th century, though it became widely known only in the 19th century. It probably began as a kind of thieves' jargon in the East End of London, though rhymes of this kind are also known in other parts of Britain and similar features have been found in other languages in groups such as criminals and gypsy clans, where the desire to preserve secrecy is strong. Only a very small proportion of Londoners are Cockneys as the accepted criteria is that they must be 'born within the sound of Bow bells' which is in East London. (For a new and enlightened view of The Bible, see excerpts from The Cockney Bible.) More than 1000 examples of English rhyming slang have been recorded, though not all are still in use. Among them are:
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A Adam and Eve |
Believe |
| Alligator | Later |
| Andy Cain | Rain |
| Apple pie | Sky |
| Auntie Nellie | Belly |
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B Ball of chalk |
Walk |
| Barnet Fair | Hair |
| Bath bun | Sun |
| Bees and honey | Money |
| Bird lime | Time (in prison) |
| Biscuits and cheese | Knees |
| Block of ice | Dice |
| Boat race | Face |
| Bottle and glass | Class (rank or caste) |
| Bottle of water | Daughter |
| Bread and honey | Money |
| Brown bread | Dead |
| Bushel and peck | Neck |
| Butcher's hook | Look |
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C Cain and Abel |
Table |
| Canoes | Shoes |
| Chalk farm(s) | Arm(s) |
| Charlie Dilke | Milk |
| Cherry ripe | Tripe (nonsense) |
| China plate | Mate |
| Coffe and tea | Sea |
| Cough and sneeze | Cheese |
| Currant bun | Son |
| Cut and carried | Married |
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D Dicky bird |
Word |
| Dig in the grave | Shave |
| Dog and cat | Mat |
| Dunkirk | Work |
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E Elephant's trunk |
Drunk |
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F Feather and flip |
Kip (sleep) |
| Finger and thumb | Mum |
| Fireman's hose | Nose |
| Fisherman's daughter | Water |
| Fork and knife | Life |
| Frog and toad | Road |
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G Garden Gate |
Mate |
| Girls and boys | Noise |
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H Hampstead Heath |
Teeth |
| Hank Marvin | Starving |
| Half inch | Pinch (steal) |
| Here and there | Chair |
| Hobson's choice | Voice |
| Hot cross bun | Run |
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I Irish stew |
True |
| Isle of Wight | Right |
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J Jack and Jill |
Hill |
| Jack Horner | Corner |
| Jack Jones | Alone |
| Jam jar | Car (automobile) |
| Jeremiah | Fire |
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K Khyber Pass |
(It's rude, I'll leave you to guess, Ax.) |
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L Lean and lurch |
Church |
| Lemon and lime | Time (of day) |
| Lillian Gish | Fish |
| Lilley and Skinner | Dinner |
| Loaf of bread | Head |
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M Merry and bright |
Light |
| Mickey Mouse | House |
| Mile End | Friend |
| Mince Pie(s) | Eye(s) |
| Moby Dick | Nick (prison) |
| Mutt and Jeff | Deaf |
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N Nanny goat |
Boat |
| Noah's Ark | Dark |
| North and South | Mouth |
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O On the floor |
Poor |
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P Peas in the pot |
Hot |
| Piccadilly | Silly |
| Pig's ear | Beer |
| Plates of meat | Feet (leg ends) |
| Pony and trap | Number 2s (Rude again so think, Ax.) |
| Pork pies | Lies |
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R Rabbit and pork |
Talk |
| Ramsgate sand(s) | Hand(s) |
| Read and write | Fight |
| Ribbon and curl | Girl |
| Richard the Third | Bird |
| Rise and shine | Wine |
| Rookery nook | Book |
| Rory O'More | Door |
| Round the houses | Trousers |
| Rub-a-dub-dub | Pub(lic house) |
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S Safe and sound |
Ground |
| Salford Dock | Rock |
| Saucepan lid | Kid |
| Scapa Flow | Go (leave) |
| Scotch pegs | Legs |
| Silver spoon | Moon |
| Skin and blister | Sister |
| Sky rocket | |
| Snoop and pry | Cry |
| Stick and stone | Bone |
| Stop and start | Heart |
| Swan Lake | Cake |
| Syrup of figs | Wigs |
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T Tea leaf |
Thief |
| These and those | Clothes |
| Tiddly-wink | Drink |
| Tit for tat | Hat |
| Tod Sloane | Alone |
| Tom and Dick | Sick |
| Trick cyclist | Psychiatrist |
| Trouble and strife | Wife |
| Turtle Dove | Love |
| Two and eight | State |
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U Uncle Bert |
Shirt |
| Uncle Fred | Bread |
| Uncle Ned | Bed |
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V Vera Lynne |
Gin |
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W Weasel and stoat |
Coat |
| William Tell | Smell |
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In many cases only the first, non-rhyming half of each phrase is usually used - Barnet, say, or bottle - so that to a stranger the conversation is incomprehensible. English rhyming slang expressions also have sometimes been exported. Australians still call a bar, or pub, a rubbedy, from the expression 'rub-a-dub-dub'. There are several 'rude' words in the rhyming slang and as this is a family site I've omitted them as I don't fancy a kick up the Khyber. Also well worth a read are the excerpts of The Cockney Bible, it's a fun read and well worth a butcher's. If you're interested in obtaining it, put your Ramsgate into your sky, walk dahn the frog to the rookery store and buy it. (From May 2001, you'll find it available from the Bible Reading Society for £5.99.) |
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| MONEY ANIMALS | |||
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Along with the Cockney Rhyming Slang, there are several ways of referring to sums of money normally using names of animals. Here are just a few that I know : |
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| Monkey | £500 | ||
| Pony | £25 | ||
| Rhino | £100 | ||
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I just need to check out which sum of money is the accepted value for each of the above as I've been told that they sometimes vary dependant upon which area of London you are in. It's new to me but I need to check it out so don't take the above values as gospel until I delete this remark. |
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