What allegedly "Cockney" slang did you actually hear used growing up, or still use now?

Posted by AF_II@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 275 comments

Inspired by posts elsewhere - I was technically born (though not raised) a cockney, i.e. within the sound of Bow Bells, and a lot of the stuff that gets claimed as cockney sounds like made up shite to me, or at least a confusion between true rhyming slang and just... slang. I've been thinking about it & the only ones in the long lists of claimed rhyming slang I really recognise are: barnet (hairstyle) whistle (suit) syrup (wig) trouble (wife) Loaf (head - but only in 'use your loaf') cobblers (balls - but only as in 'you're talking cobblers') Butchers (look - but only as in 'take a butchers at X') berk (c*nt) ruby (curry) half-inch (steal) riddle (piss) Tod (alone - but only as in "on your tod") Ones I've only ever heard in full, so probably not proper rhyming slang tea leaf (thief - but never a 'tea' being a thief) cream crackered (knackered - but never heard anyone say they were cream or creamed) Plus some other general slang e.g. money terms like pony or ton. Never in my whole life have I heard anyone call stairs "apples" or the phone a "dog" or the road a "frog". And I think Khyber Pass for arse only came to me via carry on up the Khyber... how about you?