A study of some cockney rhyming slang words as recorded in A Dictionary of Cockney Rhyming Slang.

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A STUDY OF SOME COCKNEY RHYMING SLANG WORDS

AS RECORDED IN A DICTIONARY OF COCKNEY RHYMING

SLANG

AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS

Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

for the Degree of

Sarjana Sastra

in English Letters

By

DEA ROSARI P SUKATENDEL

Student Number: 064214099

ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS

FACULTY OF LETTERS SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY


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vi

Trying is tiring but it’s

the only way to

succeed

Anonymous

Keep hoping

things will

get better

“Being Erica”


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This Undergraduate Thesis is Dedicated to

My wonderful Parents


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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

It is very special and precious that I can do and finish this thesis. Therefore, firstly I would like to thank You, God, who always gives me strength and blessing in my life. Hence, my deepest gratitude goes to my advisor, Dr. Fr. B. Alip, M.Pd., M.A. for guiding, helping me and being patient. I am sorry for troubling him because of my laziness. My special gratitude also for my co-advisor, Linda Valentina Budiman, S.S., M.Hum. who has spent her precious time to read and correct my thesis.

I would like to express my gratitude to my father and my mother for giving me the greatest love, support, pray, and the great attention during my finishing this thesis. You have encouraged me to face this life, and have taught me about struggles I have to do in order to get the better life.

Then, to my besties, Dimas, Kiki, Herni, Puput, Elsa, Cumi, Cacat, Vindra, and Fariz for accompany me in bad days, giving me strength and courage and making me learn about the value of friendship. The faith, hope and love will help us to gain our dream and defend our friendship forever. I also thank to Enal who always make me laugh and give me his hands and love.

I would like to give special thanks to all the lecturers in English Letters Department whose guidance has brought me to finish my study. I will not forget to say thanks to secretariat staff of the Faculty of Letters for their service, and also to the library staff for helping me find the books.


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE………... i

APPROVAL PAGE……… ii

ACCEPTANCE PAGE………... iii

LEMBAR PERNYATAAN PERSETUJUAN PUBLIKASI………... iv

STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY... v

MOTTO PAGE... ... vi

DEDICATION PAGE………... vii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS………... viii

TABLE OF CONTENTS………... ix

ABSTRACT……….... xi

ABSTRAK………... xii

CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION A. Background of the Study…...………... 1

B. Problem Formulation…………..………... 5

C. Objectives of the Study…………..………... 5

D. Definition of Terms……...………... 6

CHAPTER II: THEORETICAL REVIEW A. Review of Related Studies……..…….……… 8

B. Review of Related Theories………. 10

1. Theory of Rhyming Slang………... 10

2. Theory of Sociolinguistics………... 11

3. Theory of Etymology………... 14

4. Theory of Distinctive Feature……….. 15

5. Theory of Syllable Structure……… 17

C. Theoretical Framework……..……….. 19

CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY A. Object of the Study………..……… 21

B. Approach of the Study…..……….. 22

C. Method of the Study……….... 22

CHAPTER IV: ANALYSIS A. The Characteristics of Cockney Rhyming Slang... 24

B. The Background of the Expressions of Cockney Rhyming Slang...……...………... 28

1. Cockney Rrhyming Slang in East End London.………... 29

2. Background of the Names of Celebrities or Famous People... 33

C. The Phonological Similarities Between The Slang Words and Their target words... 41


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CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION………. 49

BIBLIOGRAPHY………... 52


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ABSTRACT

DEA ROSARI P SUKATENDEL. A Study of Some Cockney Rhyming Slang Words As Recorded in A Dictionary of Cockney Rhyming Slang. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2012.

Cockney rhyming slang is a regional dialect that is most prominent in London. Cockney refers to people who live near St. Mary-le-Bow Church in Cheapside, London and they can hear the sound of the bow bells of the Church. This dialect is also used to refer to working-class Londoners (East End area). Linguistically, it can refer to the accent and form of English spoken by this group.

Related to the title of this study, the writer would like to answer the problems: 1) What are the characteristics of cockney rhyming slang? 2)What is the possible etymological explanation for the cockney rhyming slang words found in A Dictionary of Cockney Rhyming Slang? 3) What are the phonological similarities between the slang words and their targeted words?

In order to get the main analysis of the study, the writer analyzes the etymology of cockney rhyming slang phrases. The next step is the writer analyzes the expressions from the phonological aspect. The writer used both library research and internet research method in this study. In this analysis, the writer uses sociolinguistics approach. The theories which are applied in this study are theory of rhyming slang, theory of sociolinguistics, theory of etymology, theory of distinctive feature and theory of syllable structure.

The result of the analysis of this study shows that not all of cockney rhyming slang words have etymological meaning. Rhyming slang works by replacing the word to be obscured with the first word of a phrase that rhymes with that word. Cockney rhyming slang is talked about more often than it is actually used. Cockney rhyming slang has some typical features. They are T-glottalisation, H-dropping and diphthong alterations. There are some common patterns in rhyming slang such as word-word and noun phrase that consist of determiner + head. In the noun-noun patern, it is divided into common nouns, proper nouns, verb-verb, pronoun- pronoun, adjective-adjective and numeral-numeral. From phonological analysis, the writer found that cockney rhyming slang does not focus on the number of syllable but it focuses on the rhyme within them.


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ABSTRAK

DEA ROSARI P SUKATENDEL. A Study of Some Cockney Rhyming Slang Wods As Recorded in A Dictionary of Cockney Rhyming Slang. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2012.

Cockney rhyming slang adalah dialek daerah yang paling menonjol di London. Cockney merujuk pada orang-orang yang hidup berdekatan dengan gereja St Mary-le-Bow di Cheapside, London dan mereka dapat mendengar suara lonceng gereja tersebut. Dialek ini juga digunakan oleh para kelas pekerja London (wilayah East End). Secara linguistik, dialek ini dapat merujuk kepada aksen dan bentuk bahasa Inggris yang dipakai kelompok ini.

Sesuai dengan judul skripsi ini, penulis akan menjawab permasalahan-permasalahan yang muncul, yaitu: 1) Apa saja karakteristik dari cockney rhyming slang? 2) Penjelasan etimologi apa yang memungkinkan untuk kata-kata cockney rhyming slang yang terdapat di A Dictionary of Rhyming Slang? 3) Apa saja persamaan-persamaan fonologi yang terdapat diantara slang words (bahasa gaul) dan targeted words (arti yang dituju)?

Untuk mencapai analisis utama dalam penelitian ini, penulis menganalisa etimologi dari beberapa kata cockney rhyming slang. Dalam langkah selanjutnya, penulis menganalisis ekspresi-ekspresi dari aspek fonologi. Penulis menggunakan baik studi pustaka maupun metode penelitian internet dalam penelitian ini. Dalam analisis ini, penulis menggunakan pendekatan sosiolinguistik. Teori-teori yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah teori rhyming slang, teori sosiolinguistik, teori etimologi, teori distinctive feature dan teori syllable structure.

Hasil analisis penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa tidak semua kata-kata

cockney rhyming slang memiliki makna etimologis. Rhyming slang bekerja dengan mengganti kata yang akan disamarkan dengan kata pertama dari frase yang berima dengan kata tersebut. Cockney ryhming slang lebih banyak dibicarakan daripada yang digunakan. Cockney rhyming slang memiliki beberapa fitur khas. Mereka adalah T-glottalisation, H-dropping dan diphtong alterations. Ada beberapa pola umum dalam rhyming slang seperti kata-kata dan frase kata benda yang terdiri dari determiner + head. Dalam pola kata benda-kata benda, ini dibagi menjadi kata benda umum, nama diri, kata kerja-kata kerja, kata ganti-kata ganti, kata sifat-kata sifat dan angka-angka. Sedangkan dari analisis fonologi, penulis menemukan bahwa cockney rhyming slang tidak fokus pada jumlah suku kata tetapi berfokus pada irama yang ada di dalam kata-kata itu.


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CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

A. Background of the Study

Language is a very essential thing in our life. Nowadays, there are many kinds of language in every part of the world. The development of human civilization influences the language itself. Human civilization makes language spread out in the world.

Basically, language builds a system of communication which connects everybody in the world. We can transfer a message to one another by using language that is why language plays very important role for human life. According to O‟Grady and Dobrovolsky (1989), language is many things. It is a system of communication, medium for thought, a vehicle for literary expression, a social institution, a matter for political controversy, a factor in nation building (1989:1).

A group of people who speak a certain language may find it difficult to understand what is said by another group using exactly the same language. English language, known as international language, is not only spoken differently by its users from around the world but also by its users in its native land.


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There are two kinds of language. They are formal language and informal language. Slang itself occurs in informal language which means it is not used in formal speech or writing.. The nature of the slang is to a great extent, depends upon the locality, as it chiefly is concerned with colloquialisms or words and phrases common to a particular section.

Slang is used by all kinds of groups of people who share situations or interests. The group which uses these words is always in the minority, and often uses slang to set themselves apart or make it difficult for ordinary people to understand them. When a particular new expression is known and used by a large majority of the population, it is no longer slang, but part of the regular language or usage (http://www.bu.edu/mfeldman/Slang/).

In this study, the writer discusses cockney rhyming slang. According to A Dictionary of Cockney Rhyming Slang (2010), The term „Cockney‟ originally means someone who lives near St. Mary-le-Bow Church in Cheapside, London, just down the road from St. Paul‟s Cathedral. In those days, all of the City of London can hear the sound of the bow bells of the Church.

The etymology of Cockney has been long discussed and disputed. The word originated as “cocken-ay”. Cockney literally means “cock‟s egg”, a

misshapen egg such as sometimes laid by young hens. It was originally used when referring to a weak townsman, dissimilar to the tougher countryman and by the 17th century the term, through joking, came to mean a Londoner. Today‟s natives of London, especially in its East End use the term with respect and pride.


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(http://www.uab.ro/reviste_recunoscute/philologica/philologica_2003_tom3/55.d oc), August 23, 2012.

This thesis focuses on seeing cockney rhyming slang related on the background of expressions found in A Dictionary of Cockney Rhyming Slang (2010). There are many of expressions that we do not know how those expressions come from.

As seen from its name, Cockney rhyming slang is slang which is formed by deriving the final rhyme of the referential word to make up its slang word having exactly or apparently the same final rhyme with the one of the referential word. Some of the earliest slang words of Cockney rhyming slang, including the „codes‟ socially accepted by the East End thieves are

Slang Word Meaning

Adam and Eve believe apples and pears stairs tea leaf thief trouble and strife wife uncle Fred bread

(Girardi, <http://www.freelang.net/dictionary/html_cockney_english.html> The writer found the article about the origin of Cockney rhyming slang from the online source, taken from www.aldertons.com. According to Jeremy Alderton, Cockney rhyming slang is a coded language invented in the nineteenth century by Cockneys so they could speak in front of the police without being


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understood. It uses a phrase that rhymes with a word, instead of the word itself – for example stairs becomes apples and pears, phone becomes dog and bone and

shirt becomes dicky dirt. It can become confusing when sometimes the rhyming part of the word is dropped: thus „daisies‟ are „boots‟ (from „daisy roots‟).the origins of Cockney rhyming slang are uncertain. It is not really a language since the words spoken are clearly English. On the other hand, it is not a dialect either, since the speakers of this slang are also perfectly capable of not using it. Some stories said that this slang originated in the market place so that the vendors could communicate without the customers knowing what was being said. Other stories said that it originated in the prisons so that inmates could talk without the guards listening in.

The criminal fraternity had never been faced with such a concerted effort to thwart them, so they developed Cockney Slang, the idea of which being that, two or more criminals could hold open conversation, within earshot of a "Peeler," without fear that their plans were being overheard by the police." It is very difficult to describe what Rhyming Slang is without using an example. Basically, you take a pair of associated words where the second word rhymes with the word you intend to say, then use the first word of the associated pair to indicate the word you originally intended to say. < http://www.aldertons.com>. (February 2, 2012)

When a language can develop into varieties depending on social backgrounds of its speakers, the chance of it to perish gets smaller and smaller. This is, indeed, what happens to the English language, which remains strong and wide in use up to this very day.


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B. Problem Formulation

There are three problems which are the major concerns of this study. The three problems are formulated as follows:

1. What are the characteristics of cockney rhyming slang?

2. What is the possible background explanation for the cockney rhyming slang words found in A Dictionary of Cockney Rhyming Slang (2010)?

3. What are the phonological similarities between the slang words and their targeted words?

C. Objective of the Study

The purposes of this study are to help us to understand more about cockney rhyming slang and to see the etymology of cockney rhyming slang expressions. How the background of those people has connection with those expressions and finally, this study will analyze the phonological similarities between the slang words and non-slang words.


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D. Definition of Terms

In order to avoid the misunderstanding of the terms used in the study the writer feels important to give the definition of the terms.

1. Cockney

According to Mandy Barrow in British Life and Culture article, cockney is a person who was born within hearing distance of the sound of Bow bells, meaning within the sound of the bells of the Church of St Mary Le Bow in Cheapside, London, and refers to an East London accent. <http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/customs/questions/cockney.htm> (March 13, 2012)

Geographically and culturally, the term Cockney refers to working class Londoners (particularly those in the East End). Linguistically, it refers to the form of Engish spoken by this group.

2. Slang

Based on Keith Allan and Kate Burridge (2006, p.70) in the book

Forbidden words: taboo and the censoring of language,

Slang is a marker of in-group solidarity, and so it is a correlate of human groups with shared experiences, such as being children at a certain school or of a certain age, or being a member of a certain socially definable group, such as hookers, junkies, jazz musicians, or professional criminals (2006: 70).


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Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary defines slang as 'very informal words and expressions that are more common in spoken language, especially used by a particular group of people, for example, children, criminals, soldiers, etc.'


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CHAPTER II

THEORETICAL REVIEW

This chapter covers three parts; review of related studies, review of related theories, and theoretical framework. The first part includes reviews of other studies which also discuss similar topic with this analysis. The second part contains some theories about Cockney rhyming slang including theory of rhyming slang, theory of sociolinguistics, theory of etymology, theory of distinctive features, and theory of syllable structure.

A. Review of Related Studies

The writer gets two references from online articles. The first source is taken from suite101.com (The genuine article. Literally). According to Jenny Ashford,

Cockney rhyming slang, also known as “Rabbit,” was purposely developed as a code by shady merchants and other members of the criminal element in order to confound customers, the authorities, or anyone else who happened to be listening. Rhyming slangs in general are fairly common in many languages; even American English has a few lingering examples, such as “brass tacks” being possibly derived from a rhyme with “facts,” and the colloquial term “bread” meaning money coming from the rhyming phrase “bread and honey.”

<http://languagestudy.suite101.com/article.cfm/origins_and_structure _of_cockney_rhyming_slang>. (March 3, 2010).


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Rhyming slangs are common in many languages, even American English has a few lingering examples, such as brass tacks being possibly taken from a rhyme with facts, and the spoken term bread meaning money coming from the rhyming phrase bread and honey. Historically speaking, a “Cockney” is anyone born within the sound of the bells of St. Mary-Le-Bow in the Cheapside area of London, but many expressions that started out as Cockney rhyming slang have infiltrated the speech of other Britons, sometimes without the speakers even being aware of the derivation of the expression.

The second source is taken from www.helium.com. According to Rena Sherwood,

The best way to understand Cockney rhyming slang is to be around people that use it every day. New rhyming phrases are added all of the time, so native speakers are the best people to learn new phrases from. You begin to see the strange twists where a "nun and habit" really means "rabbit". (Then you have to determine whether "rabbit" means the small furry mammal or the act of running on at the mouth) <http://www.helium.com/items/1621937-learning-cokney-rhyming-slang>. (March 3, 2010).

In the second article, Sherwood tries to explain that cockney rhyming slang is a daily language which is used only in certain group or community. In other words, cockney rhyming slang is not as same as universal language. In addition, there is only the member of certain group or community who can understand about cockney rhyming slang.


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The writer also gets another reference from www.london.allinfo-about.com. In this article, the writer gets information that when we use this slang in the conversation, we must know when we use the full phrase and when we just use the last phrase.

You have to know, though, when to use the whole phrase and when to abbreviate. Another example: "Would you Adam and Eve it? I was on me Jack Jones when I saw me old china half inching a whistle from the market. Well, I ain't no grass and he's borassic, so I kept me north and south shut." Translation:"Would you believe it? I was on my own when I saw my old mate (friend) pinching (stealing) a suit from the market. Well, I'm not a nark (informer) and he's skint (got no money, hard up) so I kept my mouth shut.

(http://london.allinfo-about.com/features/slang.html) Sept 1, 2012

B. Review of Related Theories 1. Theory of Rhyming Slang

According to Encyclopedia, the theory of cockney rhyming slang is, Cockney rhyming slang is an unique example of a highly developed set of codes used by a particular speech community, the Cockneys, devised on the basis of disguise mechanisms. It uses witty and ingenious coded formulas to refer to objects of affection and hostility as well as taboo topics.

<http://encyclopedia.jrank.org/articles/pages/793/Rhyming-Slang.html>. (March 3, 2010).

By this theory, reader can sum up that cockney rhyming slang is unique and secret language which is used as secret code to communicate in the members of certain communities. In other words, cockney rhyming slang cannot be used by people outside the community.


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According to A Dictionary of Cockney Rhyming Slang (2010), the term „cockney‟ definitely meant someone who was born under the sound of the Bow Bells of St Mary-le-Bow Church in Cheapside, London, in the road from St. Paul‟s Cathedral. In the past, all of the city of London would have been within that sound. The first development of rhyming slang started from the late 18th century and the early 19th century. There are no exact reasons why it is started but the most popular theories, that the first development of this language is only for a good-humored joking by Cockneys so that outsiders such as the gangs of Irish navies working on canal and railway construction will not understand.

Another theory, Cockney was being used by thieves and criminals to communicate in public without being understood by outsiders. The last theory is because of the development of this language by an oppressed minority as a secret language and a defense to give them a bit more inner strength (2010: 3-4).

2. Theory of Sociolinguistics

In the book An Introduction to Sociolinguistics (1992), Janet Holmes says that sociolinguistics is a study which deals with language and society. Here, the using of the language is influenced by social factors and social dimensions, such as participant, social setting, topic of discussion, function of the interaction, social distance, status scale, and formality.


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According to Gumperz (1971, p.223) in the book An Introduction to Sociolinguistics, sociolinguistics is an attempt to find correlations between social structure and linguistic structure and to observe any changes that occur. Social structure itself may be measured by reference to such factors as social class and educational background; we can then try to relate verbal behavior and performance to these factors. The most important thing of sociolinguistics lays on the role of social dialect which is perform by speakers in a certain area as it is clearly stated from this quotation :

The bulk of sociolinguistic enquiry falls under the heading of performance, since it deliberately highlights the great heterogeneity within people's speech. For example, the differences between speakers caused by dialectal variation are compounded by variation within the speech of a single person, as with the switch from formal to informal styles, according to the social context <http://www.encyclopedia69.com/eng/d/sociolinguistics/sociolinguisti cs.htm>. (March 5, 2010).

Basically, the scope of this study is Sociolinguistics. It is the study of relationship between language and society. It explains why people speak differently in different social contexts. It also identifies the social functions of language. In sociolinguistics, the way people use language in different social contexts can provide huge information about the way language works, as well as about the social relationships in a community. We can also know why men and women talk differently and why women tend to be more related to the word gossip than men. Actually, in all conversations people choose their words carefully according to social factors and social dimensions or in other words


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social factors and social dimensions create different language varieties (Holmes, 1992).

According to Holmes, social factors here include four things, they are participants, which deal with who is speaking and who are they speaking to; setting or social context of the interaction where they are speaking (e.g. home, work, campus); topic, which deals with what is being talked about; function, that deals with why are they speaking. The social dimensions here include four scales. They are social distance scale concerned with participant relationships whether it is intimate (high solidarity) or distant (low solidarity), it is useful in emphasizing that how well we know someone. Status scale concerned with participants relationships whether it is superior (high status) or subordinate (low status). Formality scale is related to the setting or type of interaction whether formal (high formality) or informal (low formality), it is useful in assessing of the social setting or type interaction on language choice. These scales are useful in assessing the influence of the social setting or type of interaction on language choice.

The language used will be influenced by the formality of the setting. The language choice at a religious service will be very different from language choice on a friendly chat; functional scales, which relating to the purposes or topic of interaction, that consist of two things, referential (information); whether high information content or low information content and affective (solidarity); whether low affective content or high affective content. Though language serves many functions, the last two identified in these scales are particularly pervasive and


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basic. Language can convey objective information of a referential kind, and it can also express the feeling of someone.

3. Theory of Etymology

According to Onions, etymology has been briefly defined as „the origin, formation, and development (of a word)‟. For words derived from French, the ultimate source is given where possible, and the same treatment is given to many Latin originals from which the English has directly or mediately been derived (1966 : vii).

Since literate Englishmen have been acquainted with both French and Latin throughout the Middle Ages and down to our own times, either channel, or both, could be assumed as the means of entry into English, other things being equal (1966 : vii-viii).

As Onions stated in The Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology, the etymologist always added the exact time of each word. As time goes by, we can see the development of the words that we can conclude it as progressive development.

The etymologist might be content to give the earliest recorded date of each word, with its previous history, whether of English or Germanic descent or admitted to citizenship from other languages, thus accounting for their „origin and formation‟. There remains, however, the „development‟ of the word, that is, its progressive development in form and sense in English. This is every whit as important, and to many whose interests are the history of words in English rather than their remorter ancestry, the more useful and important function of etymology (1966 : viii).


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An etymology is the history of a linguistic form, such as a word; the same term is also used for the study of word histories. A dictionary etymology tells us what is known of an English word before it became the word entered in that dictionary. If the word was created in English, the etymology shows, to whatever extent is not already obvious from the shape of the word, what materials were used to form it. If the word was borrowed into English, the etymology traces the borrowing process backward from the point at which the word entered English to the earliest records of the ancestral language. Where it is relevant, an etymology notes words from other languages that are related to the word in the dictionary entry, but that are not in the direct line of borrowing.

4. Theory of Distinctive Feature

Based on Fromkin in the book An Introduction to Language, distinctive feature organizes language by defining groups of sounds which may exhibit similar sound patterns.

When a feature distinguishes one phoneme from another it is a distinctive feature (or phonemic feature). When two words are exactly alike phonetically except for one feature, the phonetic difference is distinctive, since this difference alone accounts for the contrast or difference in meaning (1996: 256).

Usually a single feature has two values, plus (+), which means its presence, and minus (-), which means its absence. E.g. /p/ is [-voiced] and /b/ is [+voiced], and if we want to call this feature „voiceless‟ we can specify /b/ as


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[-voiceless] and /p/ as [+[-voiceless]. The presence or absence of nasality also can be designated as [+nasal] or [-nasal].

This is a more explicit description of /p/, /b/, and /m/:

p b m Stop + + + Labial + + + Voiced - + + Nasal - - +

The distinctive features of the voiced stops are shown in the following table:

b m d n g ŋ

Stop + + + + + +

Voiced + + + + + +

Labial - + - - - -

Alveolar - - + + - -

Velar - - - - + +

Nasal - - - + - -

According to Crystal (1994, p.162) in the book The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Language, distinctive features are the important point when analyzing phonology. It is because they reveal more about the way in which the sounds of a language are organized, and more readily permit generalized


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statements within and between languages, than do descriptions based on phonemes and allophones.

5. Theory of Syllable Structure

The syllable is a basic unit of speech studied on both the phonetic and phonological levels of analysis. No matter how easy it can be for people and even for children to count the number of syllables in a sequence in their native language, still there are no universally agreed upon phonetic definitions of what a syllable is.

Based on Crystal in the book The Cambridge Encyclopedia of The English Language (2003),

Vowels and consonants typically do not act alone, the vast majority of English words contain a combination of vowels (V) and consonants (C), such as CV (go), VC (up), CVC (cat), CCVC (stops), and CCCV (screw). (2003: 246)

The syllable, usually marked as small Greek sigma: σ, has two immediate constituents (it is divided into two elements, to put it in another way), the Onset (O), which includes any consonants that precede the nuclear element (the vowel), and the Rhyme (R), which subsumes the nuclear element (the vowel) as well as any marginal elements (consonants) that might follow it.

The Rhyme, in turn, is divided into Peak (P), also known as Nucleus (N), and Coda (C). The Peak (Nucleus) represents the “nuclear” or most sonorous element in a syllable. The Coda includes all consonants that follow the Peak in a


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syllable. Syllable structure may be represented graphically by means of a “tree diagram”. The example the writer shall take is run /rʌn/.

/rɅn/ Run

Onset Rhyme

/r/ Nucleus (Peak) Coda /Ʌ/ /n/

From the example above, run /rʌn/, the Onset, Nucleus (Peak) and Coda each consist of one segment: the consonant (C) /r/ occupies the Onset, the vowel (V) /ʌ/ is the Peak, and the consonant /n/ is the Coda of this syllable.

A syllable is a phonological unit which is formed of one or more phonemes. According to the book An Introduction to Language (1996),

Every syllable has a nucleus, usually a vowel (but it may be a syllabic liquid or nasal). The nucleus may be preceded by one or more phonemes called the syllable onset, and followed by one or more segments called the coda. The nucleus and coda constitute the subsyllabic unit called a rhyme.

The same explanation is explained by Asher in the book Encyclopedia of Language and Linguistics (p.3131, 1994), he said that the central position of the syllable, occupied by the V elements, is normally referred to as the „peak‟


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(sometimes „nucleus‟). The initial C is called the „onset,‟ and the final C the „coda.‟ A unit called the „rhyme,‟ and consisting of the sequence peak plus coda, is recognized by many scholars.

According to O‟Grady in the book Contemporary Linguistics, all languages have syllables. The forms of these syllables aregoverned by various kinds of constraints, but certain universal tendencies are observable:

1. Syllable nuclei usually consist of one vowel (V) 2. Syllables usually begin with onsets

3. Syllables often end with codas

4. Onsets and codas usually consist of one consonant (C)

As we see these tendencies, we find that the most common types of syllables found in languages take the form CV and CVC (p.78; 2010).

C. Theoretical Framework

The contribution of theories is extremely needed in order to answer the problems mentioned. Theories of rhyming slang, sociolinguistic, and etymology are used by the writer, by using these theories we can get deeper understanding about what rhyming slang is. The writer uses theory of sociolinguistics to get more knowledge about the cockney rhyming slang toward the environment because the use of cockney rhyming slang is to communicate their ideas or to show their social identities. Through distinctive feature theory, it is used to explain that phonological rules apply to natural classes of sounds,e.g. sounds


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which share certain (phonetic) properties. The last is theory of syllable structure, this theory is used to help the writer to explain the words based on their syllable and to identify their segment or their syllabic unit.

Thus, the review of related studies is needed to add some more information about cockney rhyming slang. The review of related theories will accompany the review of related studies to give a deeper understanding about the study. The elaboration of review of related studies and review of related theories helps the writer to find out the answer of the problems.


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CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

This chapter consists of the method that the writer will use in collecting and analyzing the data. There are three parts in this chapter. The first is the object of the study. The second is the approach of the study. The last is the method of the study.

A. Object of the Study

In this study, the writer analyzes the etymology of cockney rhyming slang expressions as seen in A Dictionary of Cockney Rhyming Slang (2010). This dictionary was published by Watchya.com, the site contains interesting and useful e-books, in 2010. The main point here is that this dictionary shows the uniqueness of cockney language. This dictionary consist of two parts; Cockney-English and English-Cockney. The strong point of this dictionary is the list of cockney phrases from clasical cockney rhyming slang until the up to datee cockney rhyming slang which is still being used by Londoners until now.


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B. Approach of the Study

In conducting the research, the writer used sociolinguistic approach. According to Gumperz (1971, p.223) in the book An Introduction to Sociolinguistics, sociolinguistics is an attempt to find correlations between social structure and linguistic structure and to observe any changes that occur. Social structure itself may be measured by reference to such factors as social class and educational background; we can then attempt to relate verbal behavior and performance to these factors.

The writer think that this theory help the writer to analyze the problems that will be discussed in this thesis. The writer also can get deeper understanding about the cockney rhyming slang toward the environment and the use of cockney rhyming slang is to communicate their ideas or to show their social identities.

C. Method of the Study

The writer used both library research and internet research to complete the accomplishment of the scientific research paper. In the library research, the writer used some books that have relation to the topic. The writer also browsed the internet because the writer had difficulties to find some reliable books about cockney rhyming slang and also to get the theory related to the topic and most of the information


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In this research, the writer used the data from the book A Dictionary of Cockney Rhyming Slang (2010). The writer took some steps to analyze this case. The first step, the writer collected Cockney rhyming slang on the book A Dictionary of Cockney Rhyming Slang (2010). Second, the writer looked for some further information about the meaning in the books, dictionary, and internet. The next step, the writer found the connection between the expression itself with the background or the etymology of those expression. The last step, the writer analyze the phonological similarities between the slang and their targeted words based on their syllable structure.


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CHAPTER IV

ANALYSIS

In this chapter, the writer analyzes the problems in chapter 1. In analyzing those problems, the writer focuses on each problem first so that finally the writer can find the connections of all the problems listed in the problem formulation.

There are three problems that are going to be analyzed in this chapter. First section analyzes about cockney rhyming slang. Second section will analyzes about the condition between the background, the expressions, and the names of celebrities used in cockney rhyming slang. The last section analyzes about the phonological simillarities between slang words and non-slang words.

The writer found seventeen cockney rhyming slang words which are going to be analyzed. Not all of those words can be analyzed in the background analysis and phonological analysis either.

A. The Characteristics of Cockney Rhyming Slang

Cockney rhyming slang uses substitute words, usually two, as a coded alternative for another word. It uses a phrase that rhymes with a word. For example, the cockney rhyming slang for “believe” is “Adam and Eve” as in


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According to Jenny Ashford from the article at suite101.com (The genuine article. Literally), cockney rhyming slang is a type of argot that is structured by replacing one word with two-word phrases that has the same rhymes. Usually the second word is dropped and the original word is replaced by a word that has no same rhyme, and then people usually use the word with has no same rhyme when they‟re in conversation.

The argot is structured by replacing one word with a (usually) two-word phrase that rhymes with it. The second two-word of the phrase is then generally dropped, so that the original word has now been replaced by a word that does not rhyme, and that on immediate hearing has nothing to do with the original word. For example, the word “head” is sometimes rendered as “loaf” through the intervening rhyming phrase “loaf of bread.” By the same token, an American may be called a “Sherman” or a “septic,” through the phrases “Sherman tank” or “septic tank,” both of which rhyme with “Yank.”

(http://languagestudy.suite101.com/article.cfm/origins_and_structu re_of_cockney_rhyming_slang)

Modern Cockney slang that is being developed today tends to rhyme words with the names of celebrities or famous people, for example:

a. Britney Spears Beers b. Harry Nash Cash

Based on the article “Languages of the World”, Asya Pereltsvaig said that there are some typical features of Cockney accent:

a. T-glottalisation (the use of the glottal stop instead of [t] and sometimes [p] and [k] as “Hyde Park” as Hy‟ Par‟)


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c. H-dropping (house= „ouse)

d. alterations (for example, replacing /eɪ / with [æɪ ~aɪ ], as in [fæɪ s] „face‟ or [taɪ k] „take‟).

There also common patterns that are usually used by people when they use cockney rhyming slang in the conversation.rhyming slang terms can be summarized as follows:

a. WORD and WORD i. Noun and Noun :

Common nouns

pleasure and pain means rain,

e.g.

You don't have to take an umbrella. There won't be any pleasure today.

north and south means mouth,

e.g.

He gave me a punch right up the north and south.

Proper nouns:

Cain and Abel means table, e.g. Sit yourself at the cain.

Jack and Jill“hill,” e.g. Their cat is up the jack.

Adamand Eve“believe,” e.g. I can't Adam and Eve it!.

Verb and Verb:

read and write means fight, e.g. He'd rather read than walk away.

shake and shivermeans river, e.g. He jumped right into the shake.

ii. Pronoun and Pronoun : me and you means menu

iii. Adjective and Adjective: sorry and sad means bad, e.g. That dinner was a bit sorry.


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b. NOUN PHRASE consisting in DETERMINER + HEAD:

Mother‟s ruin means gin, e.g. Mother's ruin and tonic, please.

Butcher‟s hook means look, e.g. Take a butcher's at this. Tea leaf means thief, e.g. He‟s a tea leaf.

The use of proper nouns (place names and proper names) is specific to today‟s slang. In most rhyming slang terms, there is no obvious connection between the phrase and the word replaced: Hampstead Heeth “teeth”; Scotch pegs “legs”; Irish jig“wig”; Conan Doyle“boil”; Mickey Mouse“house”; Auntie Ella“umbrella”; Mutt andJeff “deaf” (Neagu 2001:35).

The most point of characteristics of cockney rhyming slang that the writer can find within the analysis is the tendency of referring by rhyming. Rhyme of the last syllable of the target word determines one of the slang word, e.g. Wife

[waIf] become trouble and strife [straIf], hair [heǝr] become barnet fair [feǝr]. Sometimes the slang itself has nothing to do with the meaning of target word. As a vernacular language, a language which is used by a group of people in a certain area, cockney rhyming slang was started by thieves and criminals to communicate in public without being understood by outsiders as a secret language.

The way it works is you must take a pair of related words where the second word rhymes with the word you are going to say, then use the first word of the related pair to indicate the word you originally intended to say, e.g. 'She‟s got a beautiful boat.', instead of the “Boat race”, – meaning “She‟s got a


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beautiful face.” This feature, called abbreviation, makes a sentence in which it is employed much harder to understand. But there is always an exception that proves the rule. There are some phrases in Cockney slang which are not abbreviated for example the Cockney expression Adam and Eve (believe). In this case the full rhyming phrase is used in place of the word, e.g. Would you Adam and Eve it?.

Sometimes there may be two or more ways to indicate the very same thing or concept, e.g. “tea” can be referred to as 'Rosy Lee' or Me and You' in Cockney rhyming slang. On the other hand, there may be one expression indicating more ideas, according to the context, e.g. “Jack and Jill” can mean till (cash), bill, and hill.

Some rhymes have been in use for years and are very well recognized, if not used, among speakers of other accents. For example the slang expression

bacon and eggs “legs” as used in the sentenceShe has long bacons means “she

has long legs,” the slang expression butcher‟s hook “look” as used in the sentence Please,take a butcher‟s at this means “Please, take a look at this.”

B. The Background of the Expressions of Cockney Rhyming Slang

Some people said that cockney rhyming slang was made to help thieves speak without being understood by others after a crackdown on crime in the heart of London. Others said that the slang was created by market traders so they could discuss problems among themselves while securing a good deal from their


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customers. What is known is that Cockney rhyming slang is alive and well, with new phrases entering the lexicon all the time. <http://www.dailywritingtips.com/cockney-rhyming-slang/>. (June 12, 2010)

In this part, the writer discusses the etymology of some expressions of cockney rhyming slang. First of all, the writer discusses the birthplace of cockney rhyming slang which is East End London.

1. Cockney Rhyming Slang in East End London

Cockney Rhyming Slang originated in the East End of London, but not all of the cockneys are from East End. According to Taylor in the article „Bits and

Pieces from East End,

Thus while all East Enders are Cockneys, not all Cockneys are East Enders. The traditional core neighbourhoods of the East End are Bethnal Green, Whitechapel, Spitalfields, Stepney, Wapping, Limehouse, Poplar, Millwall, Hackney, Hoxton, Shoreditch, Bow and Mile End. „The Borough‟ to the south of Waterloo, London and Tower Bridge were also considered Cockney before redevelopment all but extinguished the local working class areas, and now Bermondsey is the only Cockney area south of the Thames, although Pearly Kings and Queens can be found as far out as Peckham and Penge. The area north of the Thames gradually expanded to include East Ham, Stratford, West Ham and Plaistow as more land was built upon.

<

www.graphicality.co.uk/books/east-london_book/east-london.pdf>

Based on the article, www.timeout.com, Watts also said that

Although cockneys should be from the inner city and are often East Enders, they are not exclusively so and can be found in Fulham, Battersea, Tottenham, Camden, Catford and Golders Green, as well as throughout Essex and Kent. Although they are traditionally white,


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working-class and theoretically Christian, many cockneys are Jewish, black or Indian. <http://www.timeout.com/london/big-smoke/features/3110/Death_of_the_cockney.html>

From the quotation above, the writer can say that being a cockney is not all about born in east end within the sound of Bow Bells but we all know that London is multicultural city. In recent years, there has been a move away from Cockney in the inner-city areas of London towards multicultural London English whereas the eastern outskirts of Greater London have more speakers of cockney dialect. East London has always been the poor relation of the West End.

In the earliest time, East End was the place for trade and industry. It was a dark, lower-class area with a large criminal activity. Many valuable and exotic goods were imported from all over the British Empire and beyond and this provided rich pickings for the small time crooks of the area. Unfortunately, the bad reputation of the area made many police often came to this place. Finally, the crooks decided that they need a secret language all of their own without being understood by the police. This language called cockney rhyming slang.

< http://whizzer.hubpages.com/hub/Londons-Cockney-Rhyming-Slang>

Cockney rhyming slang itself has two different versions, classic cockney rhyming slang and modern cockney rhyming slang. Classic cockney rhyming slang was made in the first time it was made where the expression was made with no humorous intent, such as Butcher's Hook simply refers to the double-ended hook with which butchers would hang up joints of meat. Difference from modern cockney slang which was is being developed today tends to only rhyme words


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with the names of celebrities or famous people. There are very few new Cockney slang expressions that do not follow this trend. The only one that has gained much ground recently that bucks this trend is "Wind and Kite" meaning "Web site". < http://www.cockneyrhymingslang.co.uk/cockney_rhyming_slang>

Today, most English speaking countries now use their own rhyming slang expressions, E.g. Australia that has been a particularly strong user since the mid 1900's. It should be emphasized that the most recently invented rhyming slang doesn't originate from Cockney's themselves. Cockney rhyming slang is now a free term for the style of the rhyming technique.

The writer also get some informatin about where cockney rhyming slang comes from, according to A Dictionary of Cockney Rhyming Slang (2010), rhyming slang has come from other sources in time. From Ireland comes such words as:

Slang Words Meaning

Rory O‟More Door

Cowhide wide; e.g. aware of Glasgow boat Coat


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Australia and, to a lesser extent, America have proved to be good sources of their own rhymes:

Slang Words Meaning

Steel Rudds spuds (potatoes) Giddy goat tote (totalizer)

Mad mick Pick

Lean and fat Hat

There are some examples of rhyming phrase using the last word being spoken rather than the first word, such as „tart‟ in Jam tart for sweetheart, although now it tends to carry a negative connotation. Another word is coffee and

cocoa for Say so (I should cocoa).

According to A Dictionary of Cockney Rhyming Slang (2010), there are some places where the rhyming phrases come from. Most phrases come from words and expressions that always use everyday, such as currant bun (son), fine

and dandy (brandy), and Oxo cube (tube-London Underground). Other sources are come from:

i. Music hall performers: Gertie Lee, Kate Karney

ii. Famous characters within London circles or world-wide: Charles James Fox, Harry Nash, Dr. Crippen


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iii.Places (around London):

Hampstead Heath, Albert Hall, Barnet Fair, Robinson and Cleaver (a former London store)

iv. Barnaby Rudge for judge might be from the Dickens character or from the late 18th. Century dance, the barnaby.

Bubble and squeak for beak comes from the dish of fried cabbage and potatoes.

2. Background of the Names of Celebrities or Famous People

The writer is going to analyze about the background of the names of celebrities or famous people because the writer think that it

i. Adam and Eve

According to the Bible in Genesis, God took some clay from the ground and made the shape of a man. Then He breathed gently into the shape. The man's eye's opened and he began to live. God called him Adam.

The Lord made a beautiful garden for him to live in. The garden, called Eden, was full of many wonderful things. God hade made the man in His image to keep Him company and look after the world.

God brought all the animals to Adam one at a time to be given their names. "Elephant", he would say, or "Tiger", or "Porcupine", but God felt sorry for Adam. "None of these animals is really like him," thought God, "he needs someone to share his life. Someone who cares for him and who he can care for." That night, God took a rib from Adam's side and made a woman. When Adam


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awoke the following morning, he found a wife, Eve, lying asleep beside him. Adam was so happy.

God told the man and woman that it was their job to take care of their new home but never touch the tree in the middle of the Garden. That tree gives knowledge of good and evil. The day you eat its fruit, you will die.

Unfortunately, Adam and Eve broke the rules, they had eaten the forbidden fruits and they were ashamed of what they had done and afraid to face God, so they hid in the trees.. Adam tried to put the blame on Eve, and Eve tried to put the blame on the serpent, but God was angry with all three of them.

God punished Adam and Eve, and all their descendants, by making their lives hard. No longer could they live in the perfect world of the Garden of Eden. Men would have to struggle and sweat for their existence. Women would have to give birth to a child in pain and be ruled over by their husbands. Adam and Eve were thrown out of the beautiful Garden of Eden forever.

Adam and Eve is well known because their issue for their belief. Their faith to God was disappointing as God created them to maintain the earth. Instead of due what God orders them, they betrayed God and do what the serpent (Satan) told them. Because of that, we can associate adam and eve as believe.


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ii. J. Arthur Rank

Based on British Industrial History, Joseph Arthur Rank, 1st Baron Rank (December 22, 1888 – March 29, 1972) was a British industrialist and film producer, and founder of the Rank Organization, now known as the Rank Group.

J. Arthur Rank was born in Kingston upon Hull in England, into a family environment which was dominated by his father Joseph Rank who had built a substantial flour milling business. He was educated at The Leys School in Cambridge. Joseph is reported to have told his son Arthur that he was "a dunce at school" and that the only way that he could succeed in life would be in his father's flour mill. After school he had an apprenticeship in his father's milling business and was then moved to London. As the facts tell that J. Arthur Rank was a rich man, we can associate the money with the word “bank”.

iii. Robin Hood

Robin Hood is an outlaw. That means he lives outside the protection of the law. But Robin is a law unto himself. He's the self-styled king of the greenwood -- either Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire or Barnsdale in Yorkshire.

Robin is no common criminal. As the famous saying goes, he robs from the rich and gives to the poor. The poor have little to fear from Robin Hood. His enemies are the rich and corrupt, especially the Sheriff of Nottingham and the bad apples in the Church like the Abbot of St. Mary's and the Bishop of Hereford. Robin defends the underdog against oppression.


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Steal from the rich to give to the poor, is the creed of Robin Hood. It's a feel good tale of the heroic Robin Hood against the evil rich king, and by extension the rich altogether. Most people love Robin Hood. And that's a good thing.

iv. Tod Sloan

According to The Phrase Finder, James Forman (Tod) Sloan was born in Indiana in 1874 and overcame neglect and poverty in his early life to become a highly successful jockey. Initially rejected by his parents, his life changed when he discovered his talent as a jockey and began to win prestigious and lucrative races. His success was based on the short-stirrup style of riding, sitting high on the horse's neck, which he developed himself - called the 'monkey crouch'. Despite his start in life as an uneducated and malnourished street urchin, Sloan lived the American dream by becoming one of the world's best-known sportsmen. He adopted the name Todhunter and embarked on a flamboyant lifestyle, complete with fast cars, adoring women and a personal valet.

Sloan's fall from grace was as spectacular as his previous success. Following pressure from Lord Durham, the steward of The Jockey Club, the sport's controlling body, The Prince of Wales dismissed him. He was later informed by The Jockey Club that he "need not apply for a license" for the 1901 season due to unspecified "conducts prejudicial to the best interests of the sport". There were allegations of jealousy and anti-Americanism in the US press. These were no doubt justified but it seems that the primary motivation was that they


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just didn't like him. Whatever the cause, the racing ban was upheld in America too and his career was effectively over. After some ill-fated attempts to open businesses and break into film acting, Sloan faded from public view. He was married and divorced twice but died alone, of cirrhosis, in 1933.

It is rather emotional that Sloan's name should have become synonymous with loneliness. Both his early and late life seems lonely and depressing. In his autobiography, called with some feeling 'Tod Sloan by Himself', he wrote of his sadness at being abandoned by his long-dead parents - "I was left alone by those I have never ceased to grieve for". Therefore, the expression of Tod Sloan in cockney rhyming slang means alone, because he was alone in most of his lifetime.

v. Herman Finck

Hermann Finck was a German theorist, composer, teacher and organist. The great-nephew of composer Heinrich Finck, Hermann was born in Pirna, and died at Wittenberg. After 1553 he lived at Wittenherg, where he was organist, and there, in 1555, was published his collection of wedding songs. Few details of his life have been preserved. Hermann Finck's theoretical writing was good, particularly his observations on the art of singing and of making ornamentations in song.

His most celebrated work is entitled Practica musica, exemplavariorum signorum, proportionum, et canonum, judicium de louis ac quaedam de arle suaviter et arlificiose cantandi conhinens (Wittenberg, 1556). It is of great


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historic value, but very rare. Why Herman Finck is the cockney rhyming slang for ink because his works are connected with ink used.

vi. Tommy Tucker

Little 'Tommy Tucker' referred to in the words of this nursery rhyme was a colloquial term that was commonly used to describe orphans - Little Tommy Tucker. The orphans were often reduced to begging or 'singing for their supper'. The reference to Little Tommy Tucker marrying and the lack of a wife reflects the difficulty of any orphan being able to marry due to their exceptionally low standing within the community. The first publication date for Little Tommy Tucker was 1829. Therefore, the expression of Tommy Tucker in cockney rhyming slang means supper, because in that song little “Tommy Tucker” sings for his supper.

vii. Oscar Asche

He was a noted late-19th century and early 20th-century Shakespearean actor onstage. Asche himself played in Chu during his third Australian tour in 1922. Back in London, Asche‟s fortunes faltered. His marriage failed, though Lily Brayton, who was always more astute with money, did help produce his final play, The Good Old Days of England, in 1928. It flopped.

Asche wrote two Oriental-themed novels and an autobiography, published in 1929. He directed Brayton‟s last stage appearance in 1932, but his glory days were gone. Bankrupt, hopelessly obese, petulant, violent and


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unreliable, he picked up a few small parts in now forgotten films, but had no involvement in the spectacular 1934 film version of Chu Chin Chow.

Oscar Asche died in poverty on 23 March 1936. He had no children, but his nephew, the Honourable Keith John Austin Asche AC, has played a prominent role in Australian public life, notably as Chief Justice of the Northern Territory and its Administrator from 1993 to 1997. Oscar, on the other hand, is barely remembered, though for many years his name survived as rhyming slang for – ironically –„cash‟.

viii. Charlie Howard

Charles was born in Portsmouth New Hampshire. He had fair hair and small body and suffered from asthma which led to quite a bit of teasing. In high school he was bullied for being openly gay to the extent that he didn't even attend his High school Graduation. In January 1984 Charles moved to Bagnor, Maine and started making a life for himself. Charles was openly gay and out and even quite flamboyant in his life style. He like wearing makeup, jewelry and a woman's accessories he would.

On Saturday, July 7, 1984 Charlie attended a party. He left the party at 10 pm with his friend Roy Ogden, he decided to go to the post office to check his mail. As Charlie and Roy walked down the street, some teens bothered them. Charlie was beaten and thrown off the Kenduskeag River Bridge. Roy ran and pulled the first fire alarm that he could find on State Street. An immediate search began for Charlie. At 1 AM they found Charlie's body.


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An autopsy would reveal he had an asthma attack and drowned. Today a short distance from the bridge a memorial has been erected. July 7, Charlie's Death Date, is now Diversity Day in Bangor. In July 2004 the Charles O. Howard Memorial Foundation was formed to promote diversity, tolerance and hate crime prevention. In July of 2009, a memorial service was held for Charlie which is the time the memorial for Charlie was dedicated 25 years after his death.

According to Marjorie Smith from the article “Pace,” (promoting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender health & well being),

I think bullying damages everyone involved - those who do it because they are learning to be cruel and those who look on and do nothing because they are learning to be cowards. This includes adults as well as young people. The most serious hate crimes in recent years were committed by young people - so not challenging incidents at the school level leads to hate crime in our streets.

<http://www.pacehealth.org.uk/Educational- Psychology%282340434%29.htm>

From quotation above, Smith said young people are being cowards as a result of bullying. Therefore, the writer can associate CharlieHoward as coward

because his friends always bullying and disturbing him because of his sexual orientation.


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C. The Phonological Similarities Between The Slang Words And Their Target Words

The writer picked frequently used slangs still widely on the use today by cockneyers in London. Meaning that they are slangs spoken by London-based English speakers, not by other English speakers in other English speaking nations such as Australia, Canada, United States, etc. Therefore, the rhyme analysis will follow British English pronunciation.

The writer found some words that will be discussed in this section. The words are different from previous section. The writer should do this in order to make easier explanation, because not all the way of pronunciation of the words of cockney rhyming slang are on dictionary. Every words will have further analysis about their syllables understanding.

The syllable has a hierarchical structure. It is divided into onset and rhyme. Rhyme is divided into two, they are nucleus and coda. The first slang word that the writer is going to analyze is Barnet fair. The word fair shorthened word of Barnet fair, [f] is voiceless labiodental fricative and [e] is a mid front short, [ǝ] is mid central short. We can draw the Barnet fair is a slang word for

hair, which has the same last syllables as fair. The difference between fair and

hair is in the onset /h/ is voiceless glottal glide. It means that these two words have the same features of their last phonemes.


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Figure 1

/feә/ Fair

Onset Rhyme

/f/ Nucleus Coda

/e/ /ә/ ø

The other word that has the same structure is late /leIt/ and the slang form is bait /beIt/ (from the phrase tiddler‟s bait). The difference of these words is only on their first phoneme /l/ and /b/, both /l/ and /b/ are [+voiced] and /l/ is alveolar lateral and /b/ is bilabial stop.

Figure 2

/rӕŋk/ Rank

Onset Rhyme

/r/ Nucleus Coda

/ӕ/ /ŋ/ /k/


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The second word is J.Arthur Rank, shortened Rank, in Cockney rhyming slang only the last word is used. Rank has one onset [r],one nucleus [æ], and two coda [ŋ], [k]. [r] is voiced alveolar glide, [æ] is low front short, [ŋ] is voiced velar nasal, and the last phoneme is [k] is voiceless velar stop. Rank is slang word for bank, same as rank, bank also has one onset [b], one nucleus [æ], and two codas [ŋ], [k]. The difference between rank and bank is only on their onset.

The next word is Mae West, shortened West, this word has one onset [w], one nucleus [e], and two codas [s], [t]. West is the slang word of chest, that have the same syllable structure, consists of one onset[ʧ], one nucleus [e], and two codas [s], [t]. The only difference is only on their onset, [w] is voiced velar glide and [ʧ] is voiceless palatal affricate and the same phonemes are [e] is mid front short, [s] is voiceless alveolar fricative, and the last is [t],voiceless alveolar stop.

Figure 3.

/hʊd/ Hood

Onset Rhyme


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Robin Hood is the slang word for good, that have one onset, one nucleus, and one coda. Like others, these words only have diffence on their onzet [h], voiceless glottal glide, [g] is voiced velar stop. The same phonemes are [ʊ] and [d], [ʊ] is high back short and [d] is voiced alveolar stop.

Another phrase is Uncle ned,shorthened ned, is cockney rhyming slang of bed. Ned itself has /n/ in the onzet, /e/ in the nucleus, and /d/ in the coda. Bed

has /b/ in the onset, /e/ in the nucleus, and /d/ in the coda. As we can see tha the two words have the same figure but differ in their onset. The feature of /n/ is voiced alveolar nasal and the feature of /b/ is voiced bilabial stop.

Another word which also has the diifference syllable is trouble and strife, a cockney rhyming slang of wife.

Figure 6.

/straIf/ Strife

Onset Rhyme

/str/ Nucleus Coda


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Figure 7.

/waIf/ Wife

Onset Rhyme

/w/ Nucleus Coda

/a/ /I/ /f/

We can see on the figure 6 and figure 7, they are have the same syllable, but the difference is only in their onset. /straIf/ has three onset /str/, two nuclei /a/, /I/, and one coda /f/. /str/ is a consonant cluster (CCC) used as onset in the word strife. The large onset cluster like this is not difficult to describe. The first consonant must always be /s/ and usually followed by one of one of the voiceless stops(/p/, /t/, /k/) and a liquid or glide (/l/, /r/, /w/). On the other hand, /waIf/ has only one onset /w/, two nuclei /a/, /I/, and one coda /f/. Therefore, the difference is only in their onset /s/ (voiceless alveolar glide)and /w/ (voiced velar glide).

As the writer said in the first chapter, a rhyming slang is not always contains of two words but also a small phrase. The last word will also rhyme with the target word, but in the conversation usually the first word will be used.E.g. Bladder of fat means hat, “Take your bladder”. Both fat and hat have one syllable with three phonemes, fat /fæt/ and hat /hæt/. The only difference


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between /f/ and /h/ is in their onzet /f/ and /h/, /f/ is voiceless labiodental fricative and /h/ is voiceless glottal glide. Both phonemes are (-)voiced.

In cockney rhyming slang, there is also some phrases that do not always have same syllable, such as adam and eve means believe.

Figure 4.

/i:v/ Eve

Onset Rhyme

Ø Nucleus Coda

/i:/ /v/

Figure 5.

/bI‟li:v/ Believe

bI lIv

Onset Nucleus Onset Rhyme

/b/ /I/ /l/ Nucleus Coda


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As we see from figures above, the structure of both words are different but it is still a cockney rhyming slang. Therefore, cockney rhming slang do not always has the same syllable. The most important thing that they have the same rhyme. Such as believe /bI:li:v/ and eve, believe has two syllables; the first syllable is /bI/ (onset and nucleus) and the second is /li:v/ which is formed by an onset, a nucleus and a coda. On the other hand, eve has only one syllable, /i:v/ which has no onzet and only has nucleus and coda. In this case, the writer want to say that the syllable which rhymed with the sound /i:v/ is /li:v/ with /l/ (voiced alveolar lateral) as the onset.

In order to make the explanation become less exhaustive, the writer will simplify the explanation. Similarly, the other words can be explained as follow: 1. The slang expression rip and tear /teǝr/ has the same structure with figure 7.

The meaning of this expression is swear /sweǝr/ that has the same structure with figure 6. Both expressions have the same rhyme (nucleus and coda), they have two nuclei /e/ is mid front short vowel and /ǝ/ is mid central short vowel and their coda is /r/ voiced alveolar glide and they only differ in the onzet. 2. The slang expression pen and ink /Iŋk/ has the same structure with figure 3.

The meaning of this slang expression is stink /stIŋk/. Both expressions have the same rhyme /I/ high front short vowel and only differ in the onzet.


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3. The slang expression coals and coke /kǝ ʊk/ has the same structure with figure 7. This expression means broke /brǝ ʊk/ which has the same structure with figure 6. Both expressions have the same rhyme /ǝ/ mid central short vowel, /ʊ/ high back short vowel, and /k/ voiceless velar stop.

4. The slang expression national debt /det/ means bet /bet/, both of them have the same structure with figure 3. Their rhymes are /e/ mid front short vowel and /t/ voiceless alveolar stop consonant.


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CHAPTER V

CONCLUSION

Rhyming slang works by replacing a word or phrase of another with the same rhyme and to make it more confusing, the rhyme may be dropped, so that there‟s no obvious link between the slang term and the original word or phrase.

Cockney rhyming slang has some typical features. They are T-glottalisation (the use of the glottal stop instead of [t] and sometimes [p] and [k] as “Hyde Park” as Hy‟ Par‟), Th-fronting (pronouncing /θ/ as [f] and /ð/ as [v], as in [fIn] “thin”), H-dropping (house= „ouse) and diphthong alterations (for example, replacing /eɪ / with [æɪ ~aɪ ], as in [fæɪ s] „face‟ or [taɪ k] „take‟).

There are some common patterns in rhyming slang, first, word-word, divided into noun- noun, pronoun- pronoun, adjective- adjective and numeral- numeral. In the noun-noun pattern, it is divided into common nouns (pleasure and pain,

e.g. "

You don't have to take an umbrella. There won't be any pleasure

today."), proper nouns (Cain and able means table), verb-verb (read-write means

fight), pronoun- pronoun (mean and you: menu), adjective-adjective (sorry and sadbad,” e.g. That dinner was a bit sorry.), and numeral-numeral (one and two

means loo-toilet). The last is noun phrase which consist of determiner + head, such as tea leafthief,” butcher‟s hooklook” e.g. Take a butcher‟s at this.


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Rhyme of the last syllable of the target word determines one of the slang word, e.g. Wife [waIf] become trouble and strife [straIf], hair [heǝr] become

barnet fair [feǝr]. Sometimes the slang itself has no relation with the meaning of target words because at first the slang was created as code so it was made subliminal as possible.

The way it works is we must take a pair of related words that the second word rhymes with the word we will say and then use the first word of the related pair to indicate the word you originally intended to say, e.g. 'She‟s got a beautiful boat.', instead of the “Boat race”, – meaning “She‟s got a beautiful face.” This feature, called abbreviation, makes a sentence in which it is employed much harder to understand. On the other hand, there are some phrases in Cockney slang which unabbreviated for example Adam and Eve (believe). In this case the full rhyming phrase is used in place of the word, e.g. Would you Adam and Eve it?

Sometimes there may be two or more ways to indicate the very same thing or concept, e.g. “tea” can be referred to as 'Rosy Lee' or 'You and me' in Cockney rhyming slang. On the other hand, there may be one expression indicating more ideas, according to the context, e.g. “Jack and Jill” can mean till (cash), bill, and hill.


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<http://www.helium.com/items/1621937-learning-cokney-rhyming-slang>, Desember 1, 2009.

<http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Sociolinguistics>, Desember 2, 2009. <http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/on-your-tod.html>, March 3,2012.

<http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/J._Arthur_Rank>, March 3,2012.

<http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Lib/Finck-Hermann.htm>, March 3,2012. < http://www.rhymes.org.uk/little_tommy_tucker.htm>, April 15,2012.

<http://www.liveperformance.com.au/halloffame/oscarasche3.html>, April 18,2012.

<http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=42876326>, August 18, 2012.

<http://london.allinfo-about.com/features/slang.html>, September 1, 2012. <http://www.uab.ro/reviste_recunoscute/philologica/philologica_2003_tom3/55.d


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APPENDIX

Appendix 1: List of the words of cockney rhyming slang and meanings

Cockney Rhyming Slang Words Meaning

Adam and Eve /i:v/ Believe /bI:li:v/ Apples and Pears /peǝrs/ Stairs /steǝrs/

Bacon and Egg /eg/ Leg /leg/

Barnet Fair /feǝ(r)/ Hair /heǝ(r)/ Bladder of Fat /fæt/ Hat /hæt/

Boat Race /reis/ Face /feis/

Butcher‟s Hook /hʊk/ Look /lʊk/ Cain and Able /eIbl/ Table /teIbl/

Charlie Howard /haʊ ǝd/ Coward /kaʊ ǝd/ Coals and Coke /kǝ ʊk/ Broke /brǝ ʊk/ Conan Doyle /dɔ Il/ Boil /bɔIl/

Fine and Dandy /dændi/ Brandy /brændi/

Currant Bun /bɅn/ Son /sɅn/

Hampsteat Heeth Teeth /ti:ɵ/

Harry Nash /næʃ / Cash /kæʃ / Herman Finck /fIŋk/ Ink /Iŋk/


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J. Arthur Rank /ræŋk/ Bank /bæŋk/ Jack and Jill / ʤIl/ Hill /hIl/ Mae West /west/ Chest /ʧest/ Man and Wife /waIf/ Knife /naIf/ /

Me and You /ju:/ Menu /menju:/

Mickey Mouse /maʊs/ House /haʊs/ Mother‟s Ruin /ru:in/ Gin /dƷin/ Mutt and Jeff /ʤef/ Deaf /def/

National Debt /det/ Bet /bet/

North and South /saʊ ɵ/ Mouth /maʊ ɵ/ One and Two /tu:/ Loo (toilet) /lu:/

Oxo Cube /kju:b/ Tube /tju:b/

Oscar Asche /æʃ / Cash /kæʃ / Pat and Mick /mIk/ Prick /prIk/

Pen and Ink /Iŋk/ Stink /stIŋk/ Pleasure and Pain /peIn/ Rain /reIn/ Read and Write /raIt/ Fight /faIt/ Rip and Tear /teǝr/ Swear /sweǝ r/ Robin Hood /hʊd/ Good /gʊd/

Rosy Lee /li:/ Tea /ti:/


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Shake and Shiver /ʃ Ivǝ (r)/ River /rIvǝ(r)/ Sorry and Sad /sæd/ Bad /bæd/ Tea Leaf /li:f/ Thief /ɵi:f/ Tiddler‟s Bait /beIt/ Late /leIt/

Toad Sloan /slǝ ʊn/ Alone /ǝ ‟lǝ ʊn/ Tommy Tucker /tʌkǝ(r)/ Supper /sʌpǝ(r)/ Trouble and Strife /straIf/ Wife /waIf/ Uncle Fred /fred/ Bread /bred/

Uncle Ned /ned/ Bed /bed/


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xi

ABSTRACT

DEA ROSARI P SUKATENDEL. A Study of Some Cockney Rhyming Slang Words As Recorded in A Dictionary of Cockney Rhyming Slang. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2012.

Cockney rhyming slang is a regional dialect that is most prominent in London. Cockney refers to people who live near St. Mary-le-Bow Church in Cheapside, London and they can hear the sound of the bow bells of the Church. This dialect is also used to refer to working-class Londoners (East End area). Linguistically, it can refer to the accent and form of English spoken by this group.

Related to the title of this study, the writer would like to answer the problems: 1) What are the characteristics of cockney rhyming slang? 2)What is the possible etymological explanation for the cockney rhyming slang words found in A Dictionary of Cockney Rhyming Slang? 3) What are the phonological similarities between the slang words and their targeted words?

In order to get the main analysis of the study, the writer analyzes the etymology of cockney rhyming slang phrases. The next step is the writer analyzes the expressions from the phonological aspect. The writer used both library research and internet research method in this study. In this analysis, the writer uses sociolinguistics approach. The theories which are applied in this study are theory of rhyming slang, theory of sociolinguistics, theory of etymology, theory of distinctive feature and theory of syllable structure.

The result of the analysis of this study shows that not all of cockney rhyming slang words have etymological meaning. Rhyming slang works by replacing the word to be obscured with the first word of a phrase that rhymes with that word. Cockney rhyming slang is talked about more often than it is actually used. Cockney rhyming slang has some typical features. They are T-glottalisation, H-dropping and diphthong alterations. There are some common patterns in rhyming slang such as word-word and noun phrase that consist of determiner + head. In the noun-noun patern, it is divided into common nouns, proper nouns, verb-verb, pronoun- pronoun, adjective-adjective and numeral-numeral. From phonological analysis, the writer found that cockney rhyming slang does not focus on the number of syllable but it focuses on the rhyme within them.


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xii

ABSTRAK

DEA ROSARI P SUKATENDEL. A Study of Some Cockney Rhyming Slang Wods As Recorded in A Dictionary of Cockney Rhyming Slang. Yogyakarta: Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University, 2012.

Cockney rhyming slang adalah dialek daerah yang paling menonjol di

London. Cockney merujuk pada orang-orang yang hidup berdekatan dengan gereja St Mary-le-Bow di Cheapside, London dan mereka dapat mendengar suara lonceng gereja tersebut. Dialek ini juga digunakan oleh para kelas pekerja London (wilayah East End). Secara linguistik, dialek ini dapat merujuk kepada aksen dan bentuk bahasa Inggris yang dipakai kelompok ini.

Sesuai dengan judul skripsi ini, penulis akan menjawab permasalahan-permasalahan yang muncul, yaitu: 1) Apa saja karakteristik dari cockney rhyming

slang? 2) Penjelasan etimologi apa yang memungkinkan untuk kata-kata cockney

rhyming slang yang terdapat di A Dictionary of Rhyming Slang? 3) Apa saja

persamaan-persamaan fonologi yang terdapat diantara slang words (bahasa gaul)

dan targeted words (arti yang dituju)?

Untuk mencapai analisis utama dalam penelitian ini, penulis menganalisa etimologi dari beberapa kata cockney rhyming slang. Dalam langkah selanjutnya, penulis menganalisis ekspresi-ekspresi dari aspek fonologi. Penulis menggunakan baik studi pustaka maupun metode penelitian internet dalam penelitian ini. Dalam analisis ini, penulis menggunakan pendekatan sosiolinguistik. Teori-teori yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah teori rhyming slang, teori sosiolinguistik, teori etimologi, teori distinctive feature dan teori syllable structure.

Hasil analisis penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa tidak semua kata-kata

cockney rhyming slang memiliki makna etimologis. Rhyming slang bekerja

dengan mengganti kata yang akan disamarkan dengan kata pertama dari frase yang berima dengan kata tersebut. Cockney ryhming slang lebih banyak dibicarakan daripada yang digunakan. Cockney rhyming slang memiliki beberapa fitur khas. Mereka adalah T-glottalisation, H-dropping dan diphtong alterations. Ada beberapa pola umum dalam rhyming slang seperti kata-kata dan frase kata benda yang terdiri dari determiner + head. Dalam pola kata benda-kata benda, ini dibagi menjadi kata benda umum, nama diri, kata kerja-kata kerja, kata ganti-kata ganti, kata sifat-kata sifat dan angka-angka. Sedangkan dari analisis fonologi, penulis menemukan bahwa cockney rhyming slang tidak fokus pada jumlah suku kata tetapi berfokus pada irama yang ada di dalam kata-kata itu.