Olympics watchers: Open your Mince Pies and Britneys and hear the Cockney

Talk about it

Whether Rabbitting on the Nina with a Scots Bint or watchin’ the bloomin’ Olympics, yahr Britneys may pick up on some East Enders chewin’ the fat in Cockney. Blimey, this is no Pork Pies, neither. Can you Adam and Eve it?

No, this isn’t another language: This is Cockney rhyming slang.

Cockney rhyming slang originated with working-class Londoners – East Enders – in the mid-19th century. With the Olympics happening in London, it is possible Cockney rhyming slang may be heard from the locals.

It’s been speculated that the language was contrived to confuse non-locals, which is why it is so cryptic.

This jargon consists of phrases that rhyme with what is actually meant. For example, “Adam and Eve” translates to believe; “Pork Pies” translates to lies.

However, some words are harder to decode.

“Nina” translates to phone, although these two words are far from rhyming. Sometimes, only the first word of the phrase is used. The original phrase for phone was “Nina Simone.”

Similarly, “Britneys” does not rhyme with ears, but “Britney Spears” does.

The language can become even more opaque when the typical British accent is accounted for. “Rabbit” is derived from “rabbit and pork” which, when pronounced with a British accent, would rhyme with “talk.”

Other examples of Cockney rhyming slang include “Apples and Pears” for stairs, “Shetland Isles” for piles, “Bacon and Eggs” for legs and “Mince Pies” for eyes.

While the language may be difficult to decipher for those of us across the Ten Furlongs, it’s still nice to be Lemon Tart enough to pick up on the Cockney Rabbit when we hear it on the Wizer.

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