During my poly days, I was working part time at Harry Bar in Changi Airport. I get to see very interesting personalities everyday. Those semi-drunkard are always eager give me a cultural walkthrough of their home country. One time, a very drunk australian lady passed me a AUD$100 for bringing her to her boarding gate!
To me, working there is my gateway to the rest of the world. I truly enjoyed my time there.
One of the most interersting things I have heard of is the Cockney language. Cockney is a region in London. They have a very unique slang which is the Cockney slang. It is a rather uncommon slang and was looked down upon in the past.
What happen was I overheard 2 englishmen talking to each other in English but I have absolutely NO IDEAS what they were driving at. I was so fascinated so I asked them. They told me that they were actually conversing in Cockney rhyming slang and explain to me how it works.
Rhyming slang is a form of slang in which a word is replaced by a rhyming word, typically the second word of a two-word phrase (so stairs becomes "apples and pears" as pears rhymes with stairs.) The second word is then often dropped entirely ("I'm going up the apples"), meaning that the association of the original word to the rhyming phrase is not obvious to the uninitiated.
So imagine my surprise when I stumbled across this article on 'Cash machine offers Cockney slang'
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/21/20090824/tuk-cash-machine-offers-cockney-slang-6323e80.html
I could decipher its meaning!! My lesson in Harry Bar come rushing back to mind and was put to good use!
Instead of the usual English language, the ATM also comes in the option of Cockney language!
Therefore, they are asked to enter their "Huckleberry Finn", which means to enter their Pin (Finn rhymes with Pin)
To withdraw £10, will have to ask for a 'speckled hen' (hen and ten rhymes) By the way, Speckled hen is a famous ale loved by the Englishmen.
Also, they will be ask how much "sausage and mash" (mash and cash rhymes) they want.
You might be thinking that it makes no sense at all!
Actually, you will be surprise.
I asked that same question when the 2 Englishmen gave me the examples of "Apples and Pears". I asked them what has it got to do with stairs? They said that the rule of thumb is to have some sort of association to it. And 'Apples and Pears' crate can be found under the stairs. Duh... How obvious right!
Do you 'Adam and Eve' (Believe) it? haha..
Translate this:
'Allo me old china - wot say we pop round the Jack. I'll stand you a pig and you can rabbit on about your teapots. We can 'ave some loop and tommy and be off before the dickory hits twelve.
Translated:
Hello my old mate (china plate) - what do you say we pop around to the bar (Jack Tar). I'll buy you a beer (pig's ear) and you can talk (rabbit and pork) about your kids (teapot lids). We can have some soup (loop de loop) and supper (Tommy Tucker) and be gone before the clock (hickory dickory dock) strikes twelve.
OR
"Got to my mickey, found me way up the apples, put on me whistle and the bloody dog went. It was me trouble telling me to fetch the teapots."
which really means:
"Got to my house (mickey mouse), found my way up the stairs (apples and pears), put on my suit (whistle and flute) when the phone (dog and bone) rang. It was my wife (trouble and strife) telling me to get the kids (teapot lids)."
Well, if you don't understand a thing from my post. I guess, that's the whole idea. :)
Resources: http://www.aldertons.com/ & Wikipedia
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