Slang is language at its most informal.

Slang

Slang is language at its most informal, using expressions that many would consider to be grammatically imperfect and sometimes rude. Slang often used within small social groups where it can help draw and keep the group together. It changes very quickly in English.

Cockney Rhyming Slang is a specialised form of slang used in the East of London. It is a kind of antilanguage where words are replaced by phrases that rhyme (sound the same): North and south = mouth Adam and Eve = believe Sometimes, the last word is dropped.

Why is Cockney Rhyming Slang called so?

A Cockney is a Londoner; the original definition was someone born near enough to hear the bells of Bow, which meant people in the east of the city. The word Cockney means the egg of a cockerel (male hen) and was meant as an insult, implying dishonesty in business deals by trying to sell non-existent or low quality goods, or so the story goes. The term is now used happily and proudly by the people of the east and north of London, who regard themselves as the 'real' Londoners in a very cosmopolitan city where a lot of the population have come in from other areas of the country or abroad.

As well as having a distinctive pronunciation and many grammatical features, the language of London is most notable for its Rhyming Slang. This consists of using a phrase that rhymes, sounds the same, as the word you want to say, so 'telephone' becomes 'dog and bone'. Unfortunately, many of the phrases then lose the second word, making it very hard for the outsider to guess the original meaning; 'rabbit' for 'talk' comes from the phrase 'rabbit and pork', but few would be able to guess it.

A lot of the original rhyming slang appeared among the market traders in the east end of London in the 19th century, but it is still used and new words and phrases are being invented all the time. At the moment, it is very fashionable to use famous people's names, so the DJ Pete Tong is used meaning 'wrong'- 'thing's have gone Pete Tong'.

963 slang expressions are here with their informal meanings.

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M|N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z|#

See our section on Cockney Rhyming Slang.

Related Links:

• A Word A Day
• Idioms and Phrases
• Cockney Rhyming Slang
• Etymology
• Longest Word
• Word Power
• Synonyms
• Antonyms
• Homonyms
• Neologism
• Eponyms
• Figuratives
• Small Words for Big Words
• Portmanteau Words
• Rhyming Words
• GRE Analogy Words
• GRE Word List
• Proverbs
• Anagrams
• Palindromes
• Misspelled Words
• Tongue Twisters
• Vocabulary
• Difficult Words
• The Long List of Phobias
• Glossary of English
• Phrasal Verbs
• English Irregular Verbs
• Word Lists

From Slang to HOME PAGE


Home Confused Words What is NEW? Search THIS Site Nursery Rhymes Beauties of English Grammar Intermediate Level Advanced English f.a.q Tips Plain English Vocabulary Etymology Synonyms Antonyms TOEFL GRE GMAT Your English Teacher Business Letters Difficult Words Social Letters Short Stories English Poems Poem Topics TOP 100 Poems English Songs Famous Quotations Business Dictionary Essays Subscribe To This Site	Slang Slang is language at its most informal, using expressions that many would consider to be grammatically imperfect and sometimes rude. Slang often used within small social groups where it can help draw and keep the group together. It changes very quickly in English. Cockney Rhyming Slang is a specialised form of slang used in the East of London. It is a kind of antilanguage where words are replaced by phrases that rhyme (sound the same): North and south = mouth Adam and Eve = believe Sometimes, the last word is dropped. Why is Cockney Rhyming Slang called so? A Cockney is a Londoner; the original definition was someone born near enough to hear the bells of Bow, which meant people in the east of the city. The word Cockney means the egg of a cockerel (male hen) and was meant as an insult, implying dishonesty in business deals by trying to sell non-existent or low quality goods, or so the story goes. The term is now used happily and proudly by the people of the east and north of London, who regard themselves as the 'real' Londoners in a very cosmopolitan city where a lot of the population have come in from other areas of the country or abroad. As well as having a distinctive pronunciation and many grammatical features, the language of London is most notable for its Rhyming Slang. This consists of using a phrase that rhymes, sounds the same, as the word you want to say, so 'telephone' becomes 'dog and bone'. Unfortunately, many of the phrases then lose the second word, making it very hard for the outsider to guess the original meaning; 'rabbit' for 'talk' comes from the phrase 'rabbit and pork', but few would be able to guess it. A lot of the original rhyming slang appeared among the market traders in the east end of London in the 19th century, but it is still used and new words and phrases are being invented all the time. At the moment, it is very fashionable to use famous people's names, so the DJ Pete Tong is used meaning 'wrong'- 'thing's have gone Pete Tong'. 963 slang expressions are here with their informal meanings. A\|B\|C\|D\|E\|F\|G\|H\|I\|J\|K\|L\|M\|N\|O\|P\|Q\|R\|S\|T\|U\|V\|W\|X\|Y\|Z\|# See our section on Cockney Rhyming Slang. Related Links: • A Word A Day • Idioms and Phrases • Cockney Rhyming Slang • Etymology • Longest Word • Word Power • Synonyms • Antonyms • Homonyms • Neologism • Eponyms • Figuratives • Small Words for Big Words • Portmanteau Words • Rhyming Words • GRE Analogy Words • GRE Word List • Proverbs • Anagrams • Palindromes • Misspelled Words • Tongue Twisters • Vocabulary • Difficult Words • The Long List of Phobias • Glossary of English • Phrasal Verbs • English Irregular Verbs • Word Lists From Slang to HOME PAGE	Follow These Links!

Slang

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M|N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z|#

Follow These Links!