Cockney Rhyming Slang

Apples and pears, Barnet Fair, and London's secret code

はじめに

コックニー押韻スラングは、イギリス英語で最も独特な特徴のひとつです——ロンドンのイーストエンドで生まれた言語的伝統で、普通の単語を遊び心のある韻で置き換えます。「stairs（階段）」は「apples and pears」に、「wife（妻）」は「trouble and strife」に。

19世紀に生まれたこのスラングは、もともと部外者を排除するための暗号だったとも言われます。しかし今では労働者階級のイーストエンドのルーツを超えて、イギリス文化の愛される一部になりました。あまりにも日常化して、コックニー由来だと知らずに使っている言葉もあるほどです。

この章では、すべてのイギリス人が知っているクラシックな押韻スラングと、本物のコックニーにしかわからないマニアックな表現の両方を探ります。本場のロンドンっ子のように話せるようになるか——少なくとも彼らが何を言っているのか理解できるようになりましょう。

テーマ

この章の英語スラング一覧（88）

• Porkies Lies.
• Apples and pears Stairs.
• Dog and bone Phone (telephone).
• Adam and Eve Believe.
• Butcher's Look.
• Ruby Curry.
• Brahms Drunk (pissed).
• Bees and honey Money.
• Sherbert Taxi (cab).
• Rabbit Talk.
• Rosie Lee Tea.
• Septic Yank (American).
• Titfer Hat.
• North and south Mouth.
• Boat race Face.
• Brown bread Dead.
• Currant bun Sun; also The Sun newspaper.
• Plates of meat Feet.
• Mince pies Eyes.
• Loaf Head.
• Hampsteads Teeth.
• Bacon and eggs Legs.
• Germans Hands.
• Scotch Legs.
• Brass tacks Facts (also used idiomatically).
• Raspberry Fart; also a rude noise.
• Bottle Arse; also courage.
• Khyber Arse.
• Bristols Breasts.
• Barnets Hairs (plural/different usage from Barnet).
• Gregory Neck.
• Chalk Farms Arms.
• Linen Newspaper (paper).
• Todd Own (alone).
• Dickie bird Word.
• Taters Cold.
• Bread Money.
• Lady Godiva Fiver (five pounds).
• Cock and hen Ten (pounds).
• Ayrton Tenner (ten pounds).
• Score Twenty pounds.
• Pony Twenty-five pounds.
• Monkey Five hundred pounds.
• Nicker One pound.
• Tanner Sixpence (old pre-decimal coin).
• Archer Two thousand pounds.
• Deep sea diver Fiver (five pounds).
• Steve McQueen Unseen; also screen.
• Oxford Dollar (or five shillings historically).
• Sausage and mash Cash.
• Speckled hen Ten (pounds).
• Macaroni Pony (£25); also money generally.
• Trouble and strife Wife.
• China Mate (friend).
• Dustbin lid Kid (child).
• Pot and pan Old man (father or husband).
• Skin and blister Sister.
• Plates and dishes Missus (wife).
• God forbids Kids (children).
• Bricks and mortar Daughter.
• Teapot lid Kid (child); also Yid (Jewish person).
• One and t'other Mother.
• Fisherman's daughter Water.
• Ginger Queer (gay); also engineer.
• Carving knife Wife.
• Frog and toad Road.
• Daisies Boots.
• Jack Jones Alone (on one's own).
• Old pot Old man (father).
• Artful dodger Lodger.
• Gammon Nonsense; also racist/sexist person (modern).
• Have a gander Have a look.
• Tom and Dick Sick.
• Barney Trouble; argument.
• Cream crackered Knackered (exhausted).
• Weasel Coat.
• Bubble Greek (person).
• Pen and ink Stink.
• Aris Arse (backside).
• Cobblers Nonsense; also testicles.
• Large it Show off; party hard; be excessive.
• Danny Clue.
• Pete Tong Wrong.
• Sweeney Flying Squad (police).
• Nelson Ready.
• Elephants Drunk.
• Merchant Wanker (idiot).
• Jimmy Riddle Piddle (urinate).