Of course your Cockney orthography goes upon very broad lines, and you are quite justified in raising a laugh by apparent confusions, where no confusions are made by the speakers themselves, as Hans Breitmann did with the German. The confusion is only in our ears. They speak a language we do not use. To write the varieties of sounds, especially of diphthongs, with anything like correctness, requires a phonetic alphabet which cannot even be read, much less written, without great study, such as you cannot look for in readers who want only to be amused. But another question arises, Should we lay down a pronunciation? There never has been any authority capable of doing so. Orthoepists may protest, but the fashion of pronunciation will again change, as it has changed so often and so markedly during the last six hundred years; see the proofs in my Early English Pronunciation. Why should we not pronounce ā as we do ī, pronouncing ī as we do oy? Why should we not call ō as we now call ow, pronouncing that as aow? Is not our ā a change from ī (the German ei, ai) in say, away, pain, etc.? Is not our ou a change from our sound of oo in cow, etc.? Again, our oo replaces an old oh sound. There is nothing but fashion which rules this. But when sounds are changed in one set of vowels, a compensating change takes place in another set, and so no confusion results. In one part of Cheshire I met with four sounds of y in my, never confused by natives, although a received speaker hears only one, and all arose from different sources. Why is one pronunciation horrid (or aw-ud), and another not? Simply because they mark social grades. Of course I prefer my own pronunciation, it’s been my companion for so many years. But others, just as much of course, prefer theirs. When I brought out the Phonetic News, in phonetic spelling, many years ago, a newsvendor asked me, “Why write neewz? We always say nooze.”
Very truly yours,
Alexander J. Ellis.
Index.
[A], [B], [C], [D], [E], [F], [G], [H], [I], [J], [K], [L], [M], [N], [O], [P], [Q], [R], [S], [T], [U], [V], [W], [Y].
A dip and a wallop for a bawbee!, [29], [125], [126]
Act, Chimney Sweeps’, [64]
Addison, Cries of London, [25], [30]
Albert Smith’s “Covered Uncertainties”, [111]
Ale Scurvy-grass, [32]
All my teeth ache!, [30]
All the fun of the fair!, [50]
Ancient tavern sign, [110]
Anecdote of a simpler, [32]
Aphorisms, Book of, [36]
Area sneak thieves, [48]
’Arry and Emma Ann, [50]
Bartholomew Fair, [38], [39], [42]
Bartholomew Fair, Ben Jonson’s (1614), [25]
Beating of one’s wife, [51]
Beaumont and Fletcher’s Bonduca, [25]
Beau pot? Will you buy a, [86]
Bellows-mender, [94]
Bells, Merry Christ Church, [33]
Belman, [20]
Blacking, cake, [44]
Black sheep, [48]
Blowing a horn in the night, [51]
Bonduca, Beaumont and Fletcher’s, [25]
Book of Aphorisms, [36]
Boot-black, The modern, [44]
Boot laces—AND the boot laces!, [54]
Brickdust, [92]
Bridgwater Library, [14]
British Museum, Collection of cries in, [16]
Buggs! Water for the, [29], [125], [126]
Buns! Hot cross, [97]
Busby’s Costumes of the Lower Orders, [35]
Business card of pussy’s butcher, [65], [120]
Buy a beau pot?, [86]
Buy a bill of the play?, [97]
“Buy a broom” criers, Flemish, [96]
Buy a flower, sir?, [68]
Buy my rumps and burrs?, [38]
Buy my singing glasses?, [12]
Cake blacking, [44]
Calling price before quantity, [64]
Candlewick, [5]
Cantlie’s (Dr. J.) “Degeneration among Londoners”, [72]
Canwyke Street, [5]
Caricature, political, Cries the vehicle for, [29]
Catnach illustrations, [118]
Cats, London, [64]
Caveat against cut-purses, [42]
Chairs in Queen Anne’s time, [108]
Chairs in Queen Elizabeth’s time, [108]
Chairs, rush-bottomed, [108]
Characteristic sketches of the lower orders (1820), [117]
Characters, Humorous, [52]
Charles II., Cries in the time of, [18]
Cherryes in the ryse, [3]
Chimney Sweeps’ Act, [64]
Clean yer boots?, [44]
Coachman, Hackney, [70]
Cockney pronunciation, [31], [53], [72], [73], [74], [126-129]
Cockney pronunciation, London Globe, [78]
Colly Molly Puffe! Spectator, [12]
Costermonger, or Costardmonger, [46]
Costumes of the Lower Orders, Busby’s, [35]
“Covered Uncertainties,” Albert Smith’s, [111]
Crawhall’s (Joseph) illustrations, [119]
Cream made of turnips, [60]
Cries—Collection in British Museum, [16]
Cries, Old London Street—Examples of, [76-92]
Cries, Tempest’s, [6]
Cries in the time of Charles the Second, [18]
Cries, Under-street, [70]
Cries, vehicle for political caricature, [29]
Cries of London, Addison’s mention of, [25], [30]
Cries of London as they are daily Practised, J. Harris (1804), [120]
Cries of London, earliest mention of, [3]
Cries of London, engraved by Schiavonetti and Wheatley, [42]
Cries of London for the amusement of good children, [119]
Cries of London, Humorous, [52], [53], [54]
Cries of London, Lumsden’s, [119]
Cries of London, Roxburgh collection of, [25-33]
Cries of London, Sandby’s, [31]
Cries of London (J. T.) Smith’s, [16]
Cries of London. Specimens of versification, [111-117]
Cries of London, Spectator, [25]
Cries of York, [14]
Cruikshank’s London barrow-woman, [100]
“Cryer,” Public, [22]
Cryes, Tempest’s, [6]
Cuckoo flowers, [35]
Cut-purses, Caveat against, [42]
Dead letter act, A, [51]
“Degeneration amongst Londoners,” Dr. Jas. Cantlie’s, [72]
Description of Illustrations, [117-120]
“Doing” the public, [47]
Door Mats, [94]
Doublets, Old, [10]
Do you want a lick on the head?, [30]
Du Maurier’s Steam Launch in Venice, [72]
Earliest mention of London Cries, [3]
Early green peas, [94]
Early matches, [56]
Early umbrellas, [70]
Elizabethan Statutes of the streets, [51]
Everyday Book, Hone’s, [36], [42], [52], [96], [102], [110], [120]
Facetious salesmen of the streets, [52]
Fair, Bartholomew, [38], [39], [42]
Faux, the Conjurer, [40]
Fine tie or a fine bob, sir?, [36]
Fleas! Tormentor for, [24], [121-125]
Flea trap, [25]
Flemish “Buy a broom” criers, [96]
Flower girls at the Royal Exchange, [68]
“Flowers, Penny a Bunch!” (frontispiece), [119]
Frontispiece, “Flowers, Penny a Bunch!”, [119]
Gardner’s Collection of Prints, [7]
Gay’s poor apple girl, [28]
Gay’s Trivia, [26]
Gazette, London, [14]
Gingerbread, Hot spiced, [102]
Green peas, Early, [94]
Green rushes, O!, [98]
Grose, Francis—The Olio, [30], [62]
Ha! ha! Poor Jack!, [8]
Hackney Coachman, [70]
Hanway (Jonas) the philanthropist, [64]
Herb gatherers, [32]
Heywood’s Rape of Lucrece, [24]
Highest ground in London, [109], [110]
Hokey-pokey, [58]
Hone’s Everyday Book, [36], [42], [52], [96], [102], [110], [120]
Honest John Newbery, [120]
Hot-baked wardens!, [38]
Hot cross buns!, [97]
Hot mutton trumpery!, [30]
Hot pies, [111]
Hot pudding, [96]
Hot rolls, [96]
Hot spiced gingerbread, [102]
Hogarth’s Idle Apprentice, [104]
Hogarth’s Laughing Audience, [98]
Houndsditch, [47], [50]
Humorous characters, [52]
Humorous Cries of London, [52], [53], [54]
Humorous nonsense, [104]
Ices, Neapolitan, [58]
Ices, penny, [58]
Idle Apprentice, Hogarth’s, [104]
Illustrations, Catnach, [118]
Illustrations, Crawhall’s, [119]
Illustrations, Description of, [117-120]
Illustrations, McEgan’s, [120]
Illustrations, Rowlandson’s, [117]
I’m on the woolsack!, [31]
Imitators of Tiddy Diddy Doll, [104]
Inner and Outer Circle Railway, [75]
Inner Circle Railway, [73]
Irons! Marking, [42]
Itinerant traders, Plates representing (1805), [118]
Jack-in-the-box seller, [56]
Japan your shoes, your honour?, [44]
Jaw-work, up and under jaw-work!, [54]
Johnson (Dr.), Turnips and carrots, O!, [43]
Jonson’s (Ben) Bartholomew Fair (1614), [25]
Knives to grind!, [98]
Laughing Audience, Hogarth’s, [98]
Laroon, Capt., [7]
Laroon, Marcellus, [6]
Lice, penny a pair, boot lice!, [53]
Lights—pipe and c’gar, [56]
Loftie’s Old London, [110]
London barrow-woman, Cruikshank’s, [100]
London cats, [64]
London Cries, as they are daily Practised, J. Harris (1804), [120]
London Cries, earliest mention of, [3]
London Cries, engraved by Schiavonetti and Wheatley, [42]
London Cries, Humorous, [52], [53], [54]
London, Cries of—for the Amusement of Good Children, [119]
London Cries, Sandby’s, [31]
London Cries, Specimens of versification, [111-117]
London Gazette, [14]
London, Highest ground in, [109], [110]
London Lyckpenny, [3]
London Spy (1703) Ned Ward’s, [38]
London street cries, Old, Examples of, [76], [92]
London, The Three Ladies of (1584), [96]
Lord Mayor’s day, [50]
Lower Orders, Busby’s Costumes of the, [35]
Lower orders, Characteristic sketches of (1820), [117]
Lucifer match, The, [56]
Lumsden’s Cries of London, [119]
Lyckpenny, London, [3]
Lydgate, John, [3]
Marking irons!, [42]
Marking stones, [16]
Marquis Townshend’s, The Pedlars (1763), [29]
Match, Brimstone, [56]
Match, Lucifer, [56]
Match-selling, [48]
Match, Vesuvian, [56]
Matches, Early, [56]
McEgan’s illustrations, [120]
Merry Christ Church bells, [33]
Metropolitan and District Railways, [73]
Milk below, maids!, [67]
Modern boot-black, [44]
Modern street cries, [62], [64], [67-70]
Morning in Town, Swift’s, [10]
Muffin man, [62]
My name and your name, etc., [42]
Nameless toy, A, [54]
Neapolitan ices, [58]
New laid eggs, crack ’em and try ’em!, [54]
New laid eggs, eight a groat, [110]
Newsman, The, [68]
Newspaper, Shilling for a, [68]
Nonsense, Humorous, [104]
Notes and Queries, References to, [36], [121], [122], [125]
Novelties from the continent, [50]
Newbery, Honest John, [120]
O’ Clo!, [62]
Old chairs to mend!, [106]
Old doublets, [10]
’Okey-pokey, [58]
Old London, Loftie’s, [110]
Old London street cries, Examples of, [76-92]
Olio, The—Francis Grose, [30], [62]
On the bough, [3]
On’y a ha’penny!, [54]
Orange seller, Dr. Randal, The, [52]
Oranges! Oratorio, [53]
Ornaments for your fire stoves!, [60]
’Orrible railway haccident—speshill ’dishun, [68]
Outcries in the night, [51]
Panyer Alley, [109]
Pedlars, The (1763) List of Cries in, [29]
Penny for a shillin’ ’lusterated magazine!, [51]
Penny ices!, [58]
Penny pieman, The, [111]
Philanthropist, Jonas Hanway, The [64]
Pieman, The penny, [111]
Pins, Hone’s Reference to, [7]
Pipe cleaner—penny for two!, [58]
Pipe-lights, [56]
Plates representing itinerant traders (1805), [118]
Play! Buy a bill of the, [97]
Political caricature, Cries the vehicle for, [29]
Poor apple girl, Gay’s, [28]
Prisoners! Remember the poor, [14]
Pronunciation, Cockney, [31], [53], [72], [73], [74], [127-130]
Pronunciation (Cockney) London Globe, [73]
Public “Cryer”, [22]
Pudding, Hot, [96]
Pussy’s butcher, Business card of, [65], [120]
Queen Anne’s time, Chairs in, [108]
Queen Elizabeth’s time, Chairs in, [108]
Rabbits, [98]
Railway, Underground, [70]
Railways, Inner and Outer Circle, [75]
Railways, Metropolitan and District, [73]
Randal (Dr.), the orange seller, [52]
Rape of Lucrece, Heywood’s, [24]
Rat-catcher, [18]
Remember the poor prisoners!, [14]
Rolls, Hot, [96]
Rowlandson’s illustrations, [117]
Roxburgh Collection, Cries of London, [25-33]
Royal Exchange, Flower girls at the, [68]
Ruddle, [16]
Rumps and burrs! Buy my, [38]
Rush-bearing, [100]
Rush-bottomed chairs, [108]
Rushes, green, [5]
Ryster grene [5]
Salesmen of the streets, Facetious, [52]
Saloop, [35]
Samphire, [98]
Sandby’s (Paul) London Cries, [31]
Scurvy-grass, Ale, [32]
Shilling for a newspaper, [68]
Shrimps! Stinking, [53]
Simpler, Anecdote of a, [32]
Simplers, [32]
Singing glasses! Buy my, [12]
Small coale, Swift’s reference to, [10]
Smith (J. T.) Cries of London, [16]
Soot! or Sweep O!, [64]
Spectator—Colly Molly Puffe!, [12]
Spectator, Cries of London, [25]
Speshill ’dishun, ’orrible railway haccident!, [68]
Statutes of the streets, Elizabethan, [51]
Steam Launch in Venice, Du Maurier’s, [72]
Steele’s comedy of The Funeral, [26]
Stinking shrimps!, [53]
Stones, Marking, [16]
Stop thief!, [16]
Street cries, Modern, [62], [64], [67-70]
Street music, Regulation of, [52]
Sweep your door away, mum?, [53]
Swift’s Morning in Town, [10]
Swift’s reference to small coale, [10]
Tavern sign, Ancient [110]
Taylor’s Travels of Twelvepence, [25]
Tempest’s Cryes, [6]
The Funeral, Steele’s comedy of, [26]
Thieves, Area sneak, [48]
Three ladies of London (1584), [96]
Tiddy Diddy Doll, [102]
Tiddy Diddy Doll’s imitators, [104]
Tinker, [94]
Tormentor for your fleas!, [24], [121-125]
Townshend, Marquis—The Pedlars, [29]
Toy, A nameless, [54]
Travels of Twelvepence, Taylor’s, [25]
Tricksters, [47], [48]
Trivia, Gay’s, [26]
Troope every one!, [12]
Turnips and carrots, O! Dr. Johnson’s reference thereto, [43]
Turnips, Cream made of, [60]
Type seller, [42]
Umbrellas, Early, [70]
Underground Railway, [70]
Under-street Cries, [70]
Versification, Specimens of, in London Cries, [111-117]
Wardens! Hot baked, [38]
Ward’s (Ned) London Spy (1703), [38]
Watchman, [35]
Water for the Buggs!, [29], [125], [126]
Waterman, The, [36]
“What d’ye ack?”, [24]
Whistling prohibited after 9 o’clock, [51]
White sand and grey sand!, [97]
Wigs, The best, [36]
Woolsack! I’m on the, [31]
York, Cries of, [14]
Young lambs to sell!, [105]
