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Chapter 10: Cockney

  • Sue Fox
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Volume 5 Varieties of English
This chapter is in the book Volume 5 Varieties of English

Abstract

There is no homogeneous speech form to which Cockney refers. There have always been slight regional differences as well as specific local variants used by some speakers and of course there have also always been social and stylistic differences among individuals. Nevertheless, Cockney is a term which has a long history and, even if its application has been rather vague, has traditionally been associated with the speech of the lower social groups in London, particularly in the “East End”. However, like any variety, it has been subject to change over time and recent sociolinguistic research shows that socio-economic and demographic changes to the area may render the term Cockney irrelevant to the majority of people now living in the traditional homeland of the variety. This chapter will give an overview of the traditional aspects of the London dialect while at the same time taking into account some of the recent changes described as Multicultural London English.

Abstract

There is no homogeneous speech form to which Cockney refers. There have always been slight regional differences as well as specific local variants used by some speakers and of course there have also always been social and stylistic differences among individuals. Nevertheless, Cockney is a term which has a long history and, even if its application has been rather vague, has traditionally been associated with the speech of the lower social groups in London, particularly in the “East End”. However, like any variety, it has been subject to change over time and recent sociolinguistic research shows that socio-economic and demographic changes to the area may render the term Cockney irrelevant to the majority of people now living in the traditional homeland of the variety. This chapter will give an overview of the traditional aspects of the London dialect while at the same time taking into account some of the recent changes described as Multicultural London English.

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Table of Contents V
  3. Abbreviations VII
  4. Chapter 1: Introduction 1
  5. Chapter 2: Standard American English 9
  6. Chapter 3: Regional varieties of American English 31
  7. Chapter 4: Canadian English in real-time perspective 53
  8. Chapter 5: Re-viewing the origins and history of African American Language 80
  9. Chapter 6: Standard British English 96
  10. Chapter 7: Regional varieties of British English 121
  11. Chapter 8: Received Pronunciation 151
  12. Chapter 9: Estuary English 169
  13. Chapter 10: Cockney 187
  14. Chapter 11: Celtic and Celtic Englishes 210
  15. Chapter 12: Scots 231
  16. Chapter 13: English in Ireland 244
  17. Chapter 14: English in Wales 265
  18. Chapter 15: Australian/New Zealand English 289
  19. Chapter 16: English in India 311
  20. Chapter 17: English in Africa – a diachronic typology 330
  21. Chapter 18: Diffusion 349
  22. Chapter 19: Supraregionalization 365
  23. Chapter 20: Pidgins and creoles 385
  24. Index 403
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110525045-010

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Table of Contents V
  3. Abbreviations VII
  4. Chapter 1: Introduction 1
  5. Chapter 2: Standard American English 9
  6. Chapter 3: Regional varieties of American English 31
  7. Chapter 4: Canadian English in real-time perspective 53
  8. Chapter 5: Re-viewing the origins and history of African American Language 80
  9. Chapter 6: Standard British English 96
  10. Chapter 7: Regional varieties of British English 121
  11. Chapter 8: Received Pronunciation 151
  12. Chapter 9: Estuary English 169
  13. Chapter 10: Cockney 187
  14. Chapter 11: Celtic and Celtic Englishes 210
  15. Chapter 12: Scots 231
  16. Chapter 13: English in Ireland 244
  17. Chapter 14: English in Wales 265
  18. Chapter 15: Australian/New Zealand English 289
  19. Chapter 16: English in India 311
  20. Chapter 17: English in Africa – a diachronic typology 330
  21. Chapter 18: Diffusion 349
  22. Chapter 19: Supraregionalization 365
  23. Chapter 20: Pidgins and creoles 385
  24. Index 403
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