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Previous Thread Next Thread Print Thread #206928 - 08/31/12 11:53 AM Word origin...Cockney   Joined: Aug 2012 Posts: 1 1969 stranger 1969   stranger Joined: Aug 2012 Posts: 1 New York USA I've had no luck so far find the origin of the word "Cockney". I know what it means...a Londoner born within the sound of St. Mary-le-Bow's bells but not the derivation of the word itself. Help? #206929 - 08/31/12 12:23 PM Re: Word origin...Cockney [Re: 1969]   Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 Faldage Carpal Tunnel Faldage   Carpal Tunnel Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 One of the more popular etymologies is that it is from the Middle English coken eye, literally "cock's egg", originally applied to a small, misshapen egg, later used as a term of derision by rural people to refer to city dwellers. It later became specifically applied to Londoners and eventually to one group of Londoners. #206934 - 08/31/12 04:53 PM Re: Word origin...Cockney [Re: Faldage]   Joined: Jun 2008 Posts: 8,975 LukeJavan8 Carpal Tunnel LukeJavan8   Carpal Tunnel Joined: Jun 2008 Posts: 8,975 Land of the Flat Water Most interesting, thanks. ----please, draw me a sheep---- #206936 - 08/31/12 07:26 PM Re: Word origin...Cockney [Re: LukeJavan8]   Joined: Nov 2011 Posts: 1,075 Rhubarb Commando old hand Rhubarb Commando   old hand Joined: Nov 2011 Posts: 1,075 Lancaster, UK As a Londoner myself, although not, technically a cockney, I agree with Faldo's etymology. There seems, also, to be some conection with "the land of Cockayne," but I'm not too sure just what that involves. However, it woukd appear to be a place of ease and plenty, significantly a land where there is no shortage of food - a very important motivation for the poor of London. An absence of people overlooking and regulating your life and no restirctions o your "liberty" seem to fiogure large in tale of this fabled land. I'm immortal until proven otherwise #206941 - 09/01/12 03:35 AM Re: Word origin...Cockney [Re: 1969]   Joined: Sep 2010 Posts: 1,706 Candy Pooh-Bah Candy   Pooh-Bah Joined: Sep 2010 Posts: 1,706 down under Ah...if only such a place existed. Moderated by  Jackie  Hop To General Topics ------   Information and announcements   Q&A about words   Wordplay and fun   Words and languages in schools   Miscellany   Weekly Themes   Looking for (writers, speakers, ...) (Old) Weekly themes. (have been consolidated into a single forum above) ------   Words from medicine   Beheading words   Meta-words   Words from classical mythology   Animal Safari   Words with unusual etymologies   Eponyms or words derived from people's names.   Loanwords from German   English as a global language Print Thread Switch to Threaded Mode View Profile Send Private Message Follow User Show Forum Posts View Profile Send Private Message View Homepage Follow User Show Forum Posts View Profile Send Private Message Follow User Show Forum Posts View Profile Send Private Message Follow User Show Forum Posts View Profile Send Private Message Follow User Show Forum Posts Forum Statistics Forums16 Topics13,878 Posts223,916 Members9,019 Most Online3,341 Dec 9th, 2011 Newest Members Rogerdoctor, SquareDonut, WonderW, Trailjohn, Reddit 9019 Registered Users Who's Online Now 0 registered members (), 49 guests, and 2 spiders. Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod Top Posters(30 Days) wofahulicodoc 38 LukeJavan8 13 Top Posters(All Time) wwh 13,858 Faldage 13,803 Jackie 11,613 tsuwm 10,538 LukeJavan8 8,975 wofahulicodoc 7,496 Buffalo Shrdlu 7,210 AnnaStrophic 6,511 Wordwind 6,296 of troy 5,400

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