A portable cockney kit, a pocket glossary of cockney rhyming slang, intended for quick and easy reference. Conventionally, a cockney is anyone born 'within the sound of Bow Bells' (St Mary-le-Bow church, in London), but rather than fixating on Dirty Den from Eastenders, Dickensian villains or Pearly Kings and Queens, perhaps we should focus rather on comedian Arthur Smith's definition, which may be nearer the mark: a cockney is simply a 'non-posh Londoner'.

Supposedly cockney rhyming slang was originally invented to outwit authority and eavesdroppers. Whether that's true or not, it remains a closed language to the uninitiated. But its humour is too good to be missed, which is, in large part, the rationale for this compact, entertaining volume.

Very rarely does a true cockney use his or her 'loaf of bread' (head); a cockney uses simply their 'loaf'. Where slang is abbreviated in this way, examples are given. Of course, cockney rhyming slang is constantly evolving and being added to, so this pocket guide cannot be the last word, but it offers a dependably solid foundation.

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Gemini Pockets

From little guides to soothe your soul to all-access passes to the lives of pop icons, and from quizzes and puzzles for literature lovers to books on food, nature, fashion and more, Gemini Pockets are the perfect fit for your life and interests.

Format: Hardback

Extent: 128 pages