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England (Counties as in 1851-1901) => London and Middlesex => England => London & Middlesex Resources => Topic started by: tezzer on Thursday 06 February 14 07:01 GMT (UK)

Title: londons lost language (victorian era)
Post by: tezzer on Thursday 06 February 14 07:01 GMT (UK)

I've recently finished reading a book called the Street Traders Lot by Henry Mayhew which give very good descriptions of the work carried out by street traders its very heavily illustrated and gives wonderful colourful descriptions of daily routines along with hand drawn pictures of what the traders or costers would have looked like. In the text he alludes to there being a slang used by many of the traders and the language in general being different from the language used today. does any one know if there is any information regarding these old spoken London languages or even how ordinary sentences would have been spoken in general
                                                                      thanks
                                                                            Tezzer

Title: Re: londons lost language (victorian era)
Post by: Joyful on Thursday 06 February 14 08:06 GMT (UK)

 I'm not sure, but could it be Cockney Rhyming Slang :-\

eg Bag of fruit=suit, apple and pears= stairs etc.

I'm sure someone else will have a thorough knowledge and be able to help you :)

Joy

Title: Re: londons lost language (victorian era)
Post by: youngtug on Thursday 06 February 14 08:14 GMT (UK)

The English language  evolves, even slang. I suppose in a melting pot of people and cultures like London many foreign words and expressions would/could be incorporated and corrupted to form a local or trade based dialect/slang. Such as rhyming slang as already noted by Joyful

Title: Re: londons lost language (victorian era)
Post by: youngtug on Thursday 06 February 14 08:15 GMT (UK)

http://www.rootschat.com/links/01kuq (http://www.rootschat.com/links/01kuq) Link updated 2017

Title: Re: londons lost language (victorian era)
Post by: tezzer on Thursday 06 February 14 17:54 GMT (UK)

Hi thanks for the link Youngtug that's the sort of thing I was looking for . its a pity that there isn't an expert somewhere who knows how the slang was used and how it sounded when used . as some of the reply's suggest over the years dialects change and evolve but it would be nice to think that a part of our not too distant past had been saved . I know in the written format we have many saved books written in the way things would have been spoken at the time but when you read a book you add in your mind a voice and a sound it would be interesting to hear how it should sound I know with the various regional accents attempts have been made to record and save them before they disappear.
                                                Thanks again Youngtug
                                                                       Tezzer

Title: Re: londons lost language (victorian era)
Post by: Gaie on Sunday 09 February 14 23:12 GMT (UK)

Hi Tezzer

How about: http://sounds.bl.uk/Accents-and-dialects

Gaie

Title: Re: londons lost language (victorian era)
Post by: Viktoria on Sunday 09 February 14 23:59 GMT (UK)

 I`ve had fun with that, thanks for the link. Viktoria.