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Rhyming slang swaps words for London place names and celebrities, then hides the original word
Rhyming slang replaces a word with a phrase that rhymes with it, and the rhyming part is usually dropped in speech, so "butcher's" (from butcher's hook) means a look and "loaf" (from loaf of bread) means head. Many early examples use London places: Hampstead Heath means teeth and Barnet Fair means hair. From the 20th century, celebrities and pop culture took over, so "I haven't a Scooby" (from Scooby Doo) means I haven't a clue. Because it often covers taboo words, some original meanings fade, such as Berkeley Hunt standing in for a crude word.
A phrase is chosen that rhymes with the target word, then the rhyming half is dropped in everyday speech, so the link is lost. Over time the phrase can stand alone, as with butchers for a look.
Rhyming slang shows how slang is built and how it changes with each generation's culture. Some constructions only work for speakers with particular accents, such as Charing Cross for horse, which relied on a vowel sound London speakers no longer use. The English term pommy, used in Australia, is thought to come from pomegranate, a playful rhyme on immigrant.
Speakers often shorten or invent code-like phrases to hide meaning, as with Cockney and later Polari. The same pattern appears in many languages where taboo words are replaced with harmless-sounding substitutes.
The Australian word pommy for an English person is widely believed to come from pomegranate, a rhyme on immigrant.
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