An A Z of London Cockney Rhyming Slang... And how to speak it

The informal dialect known as 'Cockney Rhyming Slang' originated amongst market traders and petty criminals in London's poverty-stricken East End during the 19th century. Playful, funny- and sometimes rude- it remains an integral aspect of the city's character.

This video will teach you how to speak Cockney Rhyming Slang, with a quick introduction and history followed by 26 examples- one for each letter of the alphabet.

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Illustrations in this video by Robert Lordan.

Music: 'Cockney Piano 1' from 'The Restaurant Album', supplied to Youtube by The Orchard Enterprises.

Other sound effects provided by:

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Thanks for watching.

[fusilierjohn]

Man hole cover (Brother) Skin and blister (Sister) Pigs ear (Beer) Plates of meat (Feet) Kettle and hobb (fob watch) Nice vid Rob. Thanks

[BANANA-iyks]

Aristotle: Although it ryhmes with Bottle is part of a Cockney Train of Rhymes, where you rhyme something with something else to hide your final word. So, Aristotle = Bottle, which is short for 'Bottle and Glass' which rhymes with 'A**e'.
Actually, 'Aristotle=A**e', In fact I've heard it said in pubs around the World's End in Chelsea as 'Aristot', which is where we get 'Arris' from. If you hear anyone say 'Arris' then follow the long Cockney Train to get to 'A**'. Which is the intended word.
I'll try it here. & Glass=A**e.
In case you're wondering, I am a London Cab Driver and yes, I have sat in the Cabman Shelters on cold days, listening to these long-winded explanations.
I also remember 'Back-slang' used by the Kentish Travelling Community. This was mixed with Cockney. It was quite a glotal language, using lots of 'g', 'guv', 'gav', 'guy', ' gercha', 'gotcha', 'gis'. we get Gavvers which means Police. It actually means 'Gather up' as old Bill are coming.
I believe any Cockney Rhyming slang that uses celebrities like Britany Spears or Danny La Rue isn't real Cockney and imitates it. It's what home-counties people think is Cockney as they don't want to commit to real Cockney in fear of sounding foolish.

[jakem]

Was born in London but currently live in Devon. The rhyming slang rolls off the tongue naturally as my dad would always use it and my grandad was a true cockney.

The devonians don't know what I'm talking about and often say it's a waste of time and I should just drop it. Its part of my upbringing and culture. Besides, I like the look on their faces when I say things like 'I'm braisic, I've only got a deep sea on me'.

[KiatHuang]

Very nicely put together! Lots of memories come back from my time in 80s London, when you'd hear a lot of these and adopted them, like "brassic" and not realised where it came from.

[apm]

In the 80s if you'd left your car's hazard lights on people would often say, 'You've left your mickys on' or, 'Turn your mickys off'. This was a reference to a footballer called Micky Hazard who played for Tottenham and Chelsea during that decade.

[iandonachie]

Scottish father Essex mother lived in London well close by.... just think of the local dialects I had to learn.... whilst not a true cockney ( bow bells) and maybe a bit to much of the Queens English in my voice through education.... its a language that I've just grown up with.... now I live overseas... and when them locals think its smart to rumble in their jungle.... they are totally at sixes and sevens when I revert to for me hearing another talk in cockney slang... is like a kebab at 3am to a Friday night its a lighthouse ... love the stuff Rob.. makes me miss home as it was 50 years ago.

[michaelwhite]

Working that lot out would put me in a 2 and 8 !

[borleyboo]

I still use rhyming slang thanks to my father who was born in West Ham. For example Almond rocks...socks, hat, mince I norf and saaf (north and south) mouth.
I read somewhere that the word ‘slang’ is a combination of ‘Secret and LANGuage’. Slang.
Very interesting video. Cheers guv! 👍😃

[reynard]

"The old mother's looking a bit bare."

"I beg your pardon!!!" 🤨

[ThestBod]

I really enjoyed watching this video. Most of them I knew (I'm not cockney) as I’ve always found the rhyming slang fascinating. I did learn a few new ones, though.
One query is I was told many years back that for a new suit it was called “a tin flute” so it would play out that a person may say to another “ I like your new tin mate or your tin is nice & new”. Have I been misled on that one? I’m just intrigued to know. Differing sites do vary on some of these mentioned today.
I look forward to watching more of your videos.

[polychromide]

I love the opening with the Thames TV ident

[rogercollins]

Watching this delightful video with a pig's ear in one German band and my zombie groan in the other with the currant bun shining down in the Dolly Varden.

[richgarratt]

There was an Italian version of rhyming slang used by parts of Italian communities in covent garden. I was told this by a friend who has passed away so I might not be completely correct. If I remember it was 2 English words That rhymed with an Italian word. So I’m making this up this example, the Italian word for money is soldi. So wet and mouldy. So wet for money!

[gregkilby]

Once again, fantastic! For some reason with the letter, 'L' (and the accompanied Two Ronnies sketch), I couldn't stop chuckling to myself thinking of, 'Going down the lolly' to get four candles'. Yes, shallow, I know.

[hellie_el]

that was so well done! and if zombie groan isn’t in common use yet, i predict it will be - it’s just perfect! i’m going to start using it and i don’t even live in the uk.

[TheTeach]

Really great work, thanks!! So fascinating!

[felicialefay]

Thanks so much for this! I only recently heard of Cockney Rhyming Slang (I’m a Yank from across the pond), and I’m fascinated by it. I also appreciate your two additions to the lexicon. 😉

[vanessap]

Thank you! I had fun teaching my American grandchildren the immense library of slangs 😅

[vanlee-HGV]

Loved I found this video thanks for putting it together 👍 me and my father can still have a full on conversation and no one else has any idea what we are talking about 😂

[johnsharp]

Rob, I was born and raised in the East End and have only heard about 10 of these terms in general use. I think many of them may have been compiled by non-Cockneys or are very modern. As might be expected, the terms in common use refer to parts of the body. The clean ones would be Barnet (hair), Boat Race (face), Jugs (ears), Plates (feet), Mincers (Eyes), Maulers (hands). I leave it to you to decipher 'Bottle', 'Hampton', 'Thrupnies' and 'Grumble'. I once worked with a chap who had been born in Hoxton in the early 1900's who introduced me to cockney 'backslang', in which one took the first letter of each word and put it at the end of the word. He gave me a few example sentences and it sounded like gibberish.