What Is Haddock In Cockney Rhyming Slang

If you’re not from London, you may be forgiven for not knowing what Haddock is. In Cockney rhyming slang, Haddock is the word used to replace the phrase ‘phone number’. So, if someone from London were to ask for your Haddock, they would be asking for your phone number. Cockney rhyming slang is a type of English dialect that originated in the East End of London. It uses rhyming words to replace common phrases. For example, the word ‘butcher’ would be replaced with ‘Boat Race’, as they both rhyme with each other. If you’re ever in London and someone asks you for your Haddock, now you’ll know exactly what they mean!

What is Cockney Rhyming Slang?

Cockney rhyming slang is a type of English slang that originated in the East End of London. It is based on the principle of substituting words that rhyme with the word you want to say for the word itself. For example, “haddock” would be replaced with “plates of food” or “bread and butter.”

The origins of cockney rhyming slang are uncertain, but it is thought to have started in the late 19th century. It may have been caused by the large number of Cockneys living in close proximity to each other in slum areas, leading to a need to develop a form of communication that was not easily understood by outsiders.

Cockney rhyming slang has been used in various works of literature, including Dickens’ Oliver Twist and Alan Bennett’s The History Boys. It is also often used by characters in films and television programmes set in London, such as Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Only Fools and Horses.

Examples of Cockney Rhyming Slang

There are many examples of cockney rhyming slang, but some of the most common include:

-Haddock = chat
-Bacon = money
-Sheep = sleep
-Pork = fork
– plates of meat = feet
– stairs = cares

The Origin of Haddock in Cockney Rhyming Slang

The term “haddock” in Cockney rhyming slang is thought to have originated in the early 1900s. The most popular theory is that it was derived from the word “hatch”, which was used to mean “stairs” or “ladder”. It is believed that this change occurred because many Cockneys working in the London docks at that time were using rhyming slang to communicate with each other. As time went on, the word “haddock” became more widely used and eventually came to mean “money”.

How to Use Cockney Rhyming Slang

Cockney rhyming slang is a special form of English that originated in London. It uses word pairs that rhyme to mean something else. For example, the word “haddock” rhymes with “cod,” so it means “money.”

To use cockney rhyming slang, you need to know which words rhyme with other words. For example, the word “stairs” rhymes with “airs,” so it means “clothes.” To use cockney rhyming slang, you take the first word of the pair and use it in place of the second word. So if you wanted to say “I need to get new clothes,” you would say “I need to get some new airs.”

It can take a bit of practice to get used to using cockney rhyming slang, but once you get the hang of it, it’s a lot of fun!

Conclusion

Haddock is a type of fish, often used in Cockney rhyming slang. It is usually used in reference to money, meaning that something costs a lot of money or is very expensive. For example, if someone says “that suit cost me a haddock,” they are saying that the suit was very expensive.