"Popney" rhyming slang

[Lynne Murphy]

My students don't call this 'popney'--they call it 'Cockney rhyming slang'
('Britney' is their favourite example).  I have some suspicion that
"popney" is a marketing invention of the music site--it's the only place
that seems to use that term.

Lynne

--On Wednesday, January 10, 2001 4:50 am -0800 Michael Gottlieb
<mdkgottlieb at YAHOO.COM> wrote:

> Inspired by Cockney rhyming slang, "Popney" rhyming
> slang terms have been collected on London-based
> www.music365.com since the site's owner overheard a
> man in a pub ask for "Britney Spears" instead of "a
> few beers."
>
> Jay Kay, for instance, of Jamiroquai fame, means
> takeaway.  "What with practicing his quirky dance
> moves and keeping up with his banging social life, Jay
> doesn't always have time to prepare a properly
> balanced meal. Luckily cosmic Kay likes to keep one
> step ahead of himself..."
>
> Sample sentence: "I really can't be bothered to cook
> tonight. Let's just grab a Jay on the way home."
>
> RICKY MARTIN = SIDE PARTING
>
> Sample sentence: "Just a little off the top, please
> barber, and do us a Ricky Martin."
>
> TINA TURNER = NICE LITTLE EARNER
>
> Sample sentence: "I picked up ten videos for a ton and
> sold 'em for a monkey each - how's that for a Tina
> Turner?"
>
> BARRY WHITE = FRIGHT
>
> Sample sentence: "Crikey, that 'Blair Witch Project'
> gave me a right old Barry!"
>
>
> Sinead O'Conner     -- doner
> George Michael      -- cycle (v.)
> Fatboy Slim         -- gym
> Gary Barlow         -- Monte Carlo
>
>
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M Lynne Murphy
Lecturer in Linguistics
School of Cognitive and Computing Sciences
University of Sussex
Brighton BN1 9QH
UK

phone +44-(0)1273-678844
fax   +44-(0)1273-671320