Jack Lang (= slang), Premier of NSW 1925-27, 1930-32

The rhyming slang of Cockneydom spread to Australia long ago, and everybody now knows that when you speak of a man's "plates o' meat" you mean his feet, and his "daisy roots" are his boots. If you hear a bloke on the race platform ask his cobber, "When does the rain flow?" and his cobber says, "Go slow; chat de Christmas card", you know, or you ought to anyway, that one has enquired, "When does the train go?" and the other has replied, "Don't know; ask the railway guard". Simple when you're shown it; eh, what? (Sydney Sportsman, 4 March 1903)

This quotation suggests that rhyming slang was a well-known linguistic phenomenon in Australia in the first years of the 20th century, and that it had been around for sometime with its origins in the cockney dialect of east London. These points are essentially true. The very first example of an Australian rhyming slang term (jimmygrant = immigrant) can be traced to 1844. This very early date takes Australian rhyming slang right back to the time its origins are first recorded in London. In John Camden Hotten's Slang Dictionary, published in 1859, it is stated that rhyming slang had only been observed 'twelve to fifteen years' before. Many of the rhyming slang terms found in Australian English are also found and have their origins in the speech of London's East End. By the late 19th century, however, a number of rhyming slang terms peculiar to Australian English began to emerge, including rubbity dub (= pub), captain cook (= look), and Noah's Ark (= nark 'an informer') to join several earlier examples of Australian rhyming slang like the aforementioned jimmygrant. But the classic rhyming slang term is one that no longer rhymes. So instead of jimmygrant we have jimmy, and in place of rubbity dub we have rubbity, and so on. This is a key element to what makes rhyming slang linguistically interesting, and which has also seen it used as a 'secret' language among criminals and other distinct groups such as the racing community, shearers, and wharfies.

My research in the area of Australian rhyming slang is tracing the history of this kind of language as it emerged in the mid-19th century, and following it through its heyday in the first half of the 20th century. This work will involve identifying words that we have not collected at the Centre as well as finding more evidence for terms we are already aware of. The second edition of the Australian National Dictionary (2016) has some 175 rhyming slang terms that either originated in Australia or are more commonly used in Australia. The evidence for these terms is often found in a context where the slang is used self-consciously; or to demonstrate its novelty; or in lists such as glossaries or dictionaries. Part of my research will involve finding more varied evidence including using material from the Oral History collection at the National Library of Australia.

The Australian National Dictionary Centre welcomes contributions from members of the public. If you would like to share your experience or knowledge of Australian rhyming slang you can contribute to the project by following this link to my contact page.

Mark Gwynn