Comments on: Argotopolis, The Map Of London Slang

By: celt

celt — Thu, 01 Dec 2016 07:54:20 +0000

Gorger is from another Romani word Gorja, which means “a non-gypsy”

By: Malcolm

Malcolm — Wed, 19 Oct 2016 11:50:32 +0000

I completely disagree with plates of meat meaning anything other than feet. Almost always contracted to plates. as in ” Me plates are givin’ me gyp” My feet are killing me.
There was no rhyming slang for street, but frog and toad is slang for road, as in “I’m off for a ball of chalk up the frog and toad to see me old china plate” I’m going for a walk up the road to see my old mate, which would almost always be contracted to “I’m off up the frog to see me old china”
However, it was rare for anyone to speak a sentence entirely in rhyming slang. Usually only bits of slang were used in conversation.

In rhyming slang a suit is, and will always be whistle and flute and almost always shortened to whistle.
Joan of Arc = Park? Never.
Bin lids = Kids? No. Although Tea pot lids or Tin lids was common slang for Yids (jews), usually shortened to tea pots or just lids. You can hear variations of these at White Hart Lane most match days.

I suspect many of these have been invented by the author or the scriptwriters of East Enders.

By: Pauline Taylor

Pauline Taylor — Wed, 10 Jun 2015 21:49:41 +0000

My grandfather would have called his suit a whistle and flute so obviously there were many variations of cockney rhyming slang.

Pauline.

By: Pauline Taylor

Pauline Taylor — Wed, 10 Jun 2015 17:47:04 +0000

Most of these are new to me but I grew up on Cockney slang, learnt from my grandfather, and feet were always plates of meat, I never heard it used as street so you learn something new every day. We always used yonks to indicate that something would take ages to happen ‘oh it’ll take yonks’.

Pauline.

By: Jonathon Green

Jonathon Green — Wed, 10 Jun 2015 13:00:44 +0000

Plates of meat, have no fears, does indeed mean feet. But like much rhyming slang it has multiple meanings and street is another one. As for Freud and Yiddish, good point and a quick wander round google suggest it to be largely correct. However he certainly knew at least some words, use them or not, and Yiddish seems to crop up in personal letters, his discussion of jokes and elsewhere. However, please note: Argotopolis is primarily an Entertainment. Lexicographical Rectitude is Not Included in the Box

By: Valerie-Jael

Valerie-Jael — Wed, 10 Jun 2015 09:39:33 +0000

Amazeballs collection of slang and the map is defo totes dorbs. As one of the wrinklies, I also learnt that plates of meat were feet in my far off youth! Valerie

By: Achim

Achim — Wed, 10 Jun 2015 08:52:09 +0000

Incredible Adam Dant!

Love & Peace
ACHIM

By: Jude

Jude — Wed, 10 Jun 2015 06:56:29 +0000

I always thought ‘plate a meat’ was feet! :). Now i learn differently, its street!
Tree is lovely! Good collaboration.

By: Ros Dick

Ros Dick — Wed, 10 Jun 2015 06:42:17 +0000

What fun!

Although re Yiddish
Sigmund Freud was a highly cultured,well educated and assimilated Viennese Jew
I doubt a word of Yiddish ever passed his lips
RD

By: Catherine

Catherine — Wed, 10 Jun 2015 05:07:53 +0000

I thought plate of meat – plates – meant feet.