Cockney Rhyming Slang L.O. To understand how words vary across dialects

A dialect found mostly in East LondonLondon The principle is to decide what it is you want to say, and then find words which bear no real relation to what you're going to say, but which rhyme loosely with your phrase.

Cockney rhyming slang used to be a form of Pidgin English designed so that the working Eastenders could have a right good chin wag without the toffs knowing that they were talking about them. These days people just make it up for a laugh, so young streetwise Londoners say things like 'Ah mate, 'ad a right mare I did, got chucked out me pad and now fings wiv the trouble and strife have gone all pete tong!' Any ideas as to the meaning?

CockneyMeaningExample Adam and EvebelieveI dont Adam and Eve it Apples and pearsstairsGet yourself up the apples and pears Army and navygravyPass the army, Son Artful dodgerlodgerIve got an artful to help pay the rent Ayrton SennaTennerYou owe me an Ayrton Brass bandshandsI shook him by the brass Bread and honeymoneyHes got loads of bread Bubble bathlaughI had a right good bubble Butchers hooklookTake a butchers at that!

CockneyMeaningExample China platemateHow are you, me old china? Dicky birdwordHe hasnt said a dicky bird to me! Army and navygravyPass the gravy, Son Donkeys earsyearsI havent seen you in donkeys Frog and toadroadI was walking down the frog Lemon squeezyeasyIt was lemon, mate Rosie leeteaIf youre brewing a pot, Ill have a rosie Tom FooleryjewelleryI gave me Trouble some Tom Foolery this Christmas Trouble and strifewifeIve just had a Barney with me Trouble.

So the English Language is in a constant state of change New words are borrowed from other countries; Dialects change in different parts of the United Kingdom; Even some slang words eventually get recognition in the Oxford dictionary when they become commonly known! Your next task is to investigate how English varies.