II. Текст. Cockney Accent and Rhyming Slang

Cockney Accent and Rhyming Slang

Traditionally someone born in the East End of London, the least prestigious part of London, is known as a cockney although this name is often given to anyone who speaks like a Londoner. Typically they change certain vowel sounds so that the sound a becomes more like that in ‘light’. In addition they don’t use the usual t sound of standard English but stop the air in their throat. —Try saying ‘buer’ instead of ‘butter’. Like some foreign learners of English they seem to have a few problems with th and use an f instead!

During the last century, East End criminals developed a special kind of slang or language which made it difficult for the police to under­stand them. In certain parts of London this slang is still used, and some expressions have passed into normal everyday English.

It is called rhyming slang because words are replaced by other words or phrases which rhyme. For example, ‘loaf of bread’ means head and ‘butcher’s hook’ means look. However, usually only the first word of the phrase is used, for example, ‘Use your loaf!’ means Use your head.... Don’t be silly! and ‘let me have a butcher’s’ means Let me have a look.

Slang

Slang is a particular kind of colloquial language. It refers to words and expressions which are extremely informal. Slang helps to make speech vivid, colourful and interesting but it can easily be used inappropriately. It can be risky for someone who is not a na­tive speaker to use slang.

You may come across slang expressions when you are watching films or reading popular newspapers or novels.

Here are some examples of English slang words and expressions:

expressions for fool: booby, dimwit, dunderhead, halfwit, imbecile,

moron, nincompoop, nitwit;

expressions for money: dough, bread, dosh, loot, brass, spondulicks

expressions for the police: cop(per)s, fuzz, bill

expressions for drink: booze, plonk(wine), a sniffer, a snort

drug-related expressions: a fix, dope, grass, high, stoned, snow (heroine).

Slang is often used by one particular group and is unintelligible to other people. Here are some examples from American truck-drivers using CB (Columbia Broadcasting) radio to talk to each other:

grandma lane − snow lane

doughnuts − tyres

motion lotion − fuel

eyeballs − headlights

super cola − beer

affirmative − yes

A common way of making slang words is by using short forms or loosely pronounced forms of ordinary words. Thus ‘fab’ is a slang form of fabulous and ‘hubby’ is a slang form of husband.

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