THE COCKNEY ACCENT

Phonetical features that differ from RP a)Vowels:

- [i:] [i:]

([mi:] [mi:])

-  [u:] [u]

([du:] [du])

 

-  [e] []

([get] [gt])

 

-  [ı] [e]

([ıf] [ef])

b) Diphthongs:

- [a] [a]/ []

([mal] [mal])

-  [e] []

([pep] [pp])

 

-  [a] [:]

([tan] [t:n])

 

tendency to centralise back vowels and diphthongs and a tendency to rounding (“nasalisation”)

 

c) Consonants:

-  ‘h’- dropping (‘ouse)

-  ‘g’- dropping word finally (doin’) or pronounced as a ‘k’ in words such as “nothink”

-  intrusive ‘r’ (“Maria Ann” “Maria ran”)

-  old Cockney: interchange of ‘w’ and ‘v’ (“wery cold vater”)

-  glottaling of ‘p’, ’t’, ’k’ word- medially and –finally (“What a lot of little bottles” [w ]

-  ‘th’ is pronounced as ‘f’ (voiceless) and ‘v’ (voiced) or word initially as ‘d’ in pronouns like “this” or “those” ( My farver finks dis)

-  omission of ‘w’ in unaccented position and compound words (somewhat summat)

-  ‘l’ is pronounced as a semi- vowel /w/ when it is followed by a Velar /l/ (milk [mıwk])

omission of unaccented syllables (‘sted, ‘cause, fam’ly)

Some characteristic grammar of Cockney:

-  Double negation (“ I don’t know nothing about it”)

-  3rd person sing. ‘s’ attached to other persons ( similar use of ‘is’ and ‘was’ “The blokes is goin’ to de pictures”)

-  use of unorthodox superlatives (“worser”)

-  Adjectives used as Adverbs (“it must be done quick”)

-  Possessive pronouns modelled on ‘mine’ (“ourn”, “theirn”, “hern”)

-  Reflexive pronouns modelled on ‘myself’ (“He thinks a lot of hisself”)

-  ‘that’ is replaced by ‘what’ in phrases like “ a bloke what I knows”

rhyming slang (“Britneys” = beers)

Some characteristic Cockney vocabulary

-  stretchers = lies

-  beak = nose

-  chap = friend

-  swop = exchange

-  choaker = tie

-  screwed = drunk

to mug = to rob