What mean to be Cockney?

Question

Is funny language, china plate= mate; apples and pears= stears; Rossie Lee= cup of tea;

Answer 1

The Bow that several answers refer to is the church bell of St Mary Le Bow in London's East End. In order to be considered a cockney you have to be born without the sound of the bells. Cockney rhyming slang which the question also refers to was first used by the criminal classes as a code hence only the first word is generally used eg Apples means Stairs. Apples and Pears, or Plates (of meat = feet). Rhyming slang is no longer confined to cockneys and has been much updates. My current favorites are Britney (Spears = Beers) or Claries (Clare Rainers - Trainers)

Answer 2

There are actually dictionaries you can buy to learn cockney rhyming slang!

To be a true cockney you need to be born within the sound of bow bells. This means that not every person from East London is a true cockney, only those within the area you can hear the bow bells ringing. Like my Dad, who was born in the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel. Although I've never heard him use cockney rhyming slang.

Also a lot of cockney slang is exactly like normal slang, it evolves and new phrases circulate... Some of it is pretty cool.

I also heard that cockney is a derogatory term given to the people of East London. Something about not being gifted mentally, I don't know how true that is though, I heard that on Eastenders once!

Answer 3

Bow bells have nothing to do with it, a cockney is the name for any one who is born in the East End of London. Time was that it was quite a derogatory term, the East End used to be a terrible place,sub-standard housing,dirty streets,rats, bad hygiene. Only poor people lived in the East End, the coppers were always looking for someone down there. The rhyming slang was used mainly so others could not understand what was going on. I was born there and I was about 8 years old before I realised that I spoke a "different language" to other people, our family moved to the Midlands where I found the life and language very different.
I am quite sure that had we not moved away, I would not have had the opportunity to have a university education, and have the life that I do.None-the-less I love London and Londoners.

Answer 4

It was invented in theee 19th Century to stop the Police understanding what was being said.

A true Cockney is born within hearing distance of bow bells which is the Church of Mary Le Bone in Cheapside London EC2
The language now is actually dying out as the area is now Asian, very few cockneys exists.

Answer 5

Similar situation to SOHO meaning South of Houston Street in Manhatten.

Eastenders was a popular English Soap Opera years back and most people that live on the East side of London speak with an accent called Cockney.

It is different from proper English. It is...well... unique to say the very least.

Answer 6

A true Cockney is said to be born within the sound of BOW (not beau!) Bells.
Cockney Rhyming Slang is used by some but not all Cockneys. I am one and I never use it! :D

Answer 7

You have to be born in the east end of London, within the sounds of the Bow bells to be considered a cockney.

The Bow bells are church bells in Bow, you must be able to hear them chime from the place that you were born.

Cockney rhyming slang is a dialect that has come about from prisons, so that prisoners can communicate with each other without the "screws" (prison warders) understanding what they are saying.

Answer 8

It is the language of the street in England with a slang that makes it hard for most English speakers to understand

Answer 9

And the word Cockney is derived from "cocken egg" or ****'s eggs.

My favourite Cockney slang is berk.

Answer 10

To be from a particular part of London where the people have a certain distinctive accent.