One Minute English Lesson – Cockney Rhyming Slang

Going to the East End of London? Here are some phrases that might help.

Video Transcript

Hello and welcome to Malvern House in Brighton and welcome to your one minute lesson. Last week we looked at slang and this week we’re looking at Cockney rhyming slang. Cockney rhyming slang is a humorous slang first used by cockneys in the east end of London. It was invented in London in the 1840s by market traders and fruit and veg sellers. A cockney is somebody born in East London. So how does it work? It works by taking a phrase that rhymes with a common word and then replacing that common word with the phrase. For example, a “butcher’s hook” is “look” e.g “would you have a butcher’s hook at that?” These phrases are often shortened as well, so instead of butcher’s hook, you would generally say “would you have a butcher’s at that”. Another phrase, “apples and pears”. “I’m just going up the apples and pears”, shortened to “I’m just going up the apples”. Giraffe means laugh. “You’re having a giraffe” means you must be joking. Dog and bone is phone is phone. “Who’s on the dog and bone?” Shortened to “who’s on the dog?”. Thanks you for joining Malvern House in Brighton. I hope you have a lovely week.

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