Rhyming Slang

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Enzo Sarlas's picture
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Rhyming Slang

I know there are a few threads on the go discussing Sigil's Cant, but I want to focus this thread on one particular aspect of the Cant, namely Rhyming Slang.

From what I've read, the only 'rule' of rhyming slang is that you replace the word to be obscured with the first word of a phrase that rhymes with that word. Somethimes, apparently, another word of the phrase is used, and at other times the the replacement word itself is altered.

Problem with most of the rhyming slang dictionaries is that the slang uses english references that don't translate to Planescape. For example, britneys = Britney Spears = beers. That won't work in the Cage 'cause (Thank the Lady) nobody knows who Britney Spears is. Berk has already become entrenched, so we can't really worry about the fact that there's no 'Berkley' in Planescape. "Donald Ducked" doesn't translate well, either, though I think we can all guess what it means.

Here are a few to get started...

Lemon = lemon and lime = Prime
Bread = bread and butter = Cutter (alternate to bread = money)
Brace = brace and bit = Shit
Parsley = parsley and sage = Mage

Anarch's picture
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Joined: 2004-05-19
Re: Rhyming Slang

"Enzo Sarlas" wrote:
Lemon = lemon and lime = Prime Bread = bread and butter = Cutter (alternate to bread = money) Brace = brace and bit = Shit Parsley = parsley and sage = Mage

There was a whole schtick on my thread about using baked goods to represent magic, based off "tarts" for "subtle arts". It's crappy rhyming slang but makes for an amusing set of metaphors.

Other ones... lessee... it's hard thinking of conjunctive phrases that would exist in Planescape...

Lords = Lords & Ladies = Hades (or the Grey Waste in general)
Ups = Ups & Downs = Gowns (or dresses in general; makes for interesting combinations with "high-ups")
Envy = Envy & Sloth = 'Loth (yeah, that'll make you popular Eye-wink)
Bells = Bells & Whistles = Missiles (presumably of the siege variety, or maybe everyone's favorite 1st level spell)
beard = beard & stubble = trouble
Dark = dark & shady = Lady (plus, she is the ultimate dark...)
dog = dog & pony = cony (i.e. a victim)

Ladies = Lady's Blades = shades
Vrock = Vrock's screech = teach
Waste = Waste grub (aka larva) = bub [hence, get wasted. ;)]

And then, a few oddballs...

Hulla = Hullaballoo = 'zu == baatezu
King = king & pawn = 'gon == baatezu (for cornugon, etc.)
Lock = lock & key = 'ri == tanar'ri
Dying = dying breath = 'leth

...

Eh. Most of these suck but it's useful spadework for the real geniuses to come along and show us what's what Smiling

Mephit James's picture
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Joined: 2004-07-07
Rhyming Slang

I really like this idea, rhyming slang is so much fun. It's something that changes a lot historically, so even planewalkers can be confused in Sigil! Here's what I can think of:

Wards
Sods = sods and berks = Clerks (Ward)
Gloom = gloomy Hades = Ladies (Ward)
Blue = blueberry tart = Mart [Market] (Ward)
Deads = dead as Skall = Guildhall (Ward)
Prince = prince and baron = Maern = maernoloth rower = Lower (Ward)
Canny = canny stays alive = Hive (Ward)
I like these because they make all the fancy wards sound negative and all the commoner wards (the wards where this slang would probably come from) sound great.

Races
Feather = feathers and tar = aasimar
Crow = crows on the wing = tiefling
Green = green and grassy = genasi
Lock = lock the door = bariaur
Mule = mule and donkey = githyanki
Bird = bird in the sky = githzerai
Key(s) = keys and locks = box (rogue modron)
Dust = dust on the shelf = elf
Short = short on time [to live] = prime

Factions
Hook = hook, line, and sinker = Sinker [I know this isn't really rhyming slang, but I like it]
Lost = lost in the mist = Anarchist
Bride = bridle and spur = Guvner
A-to-zed = Hardhead

People
(Shemeska) the Bottle = bottle of water = (Shemeska) the Marauder
Coffin (coughing) = coughin' and hackin' = Akin
Bee = bee's buzz = dabus

Enzo Sarlas's picture
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Rhyming Slang

Here's a couple more...

pimp = pimp and whore = door (portal)
sword = sword-for-hire = spire
oar = oarsman's fee = key (portal key)
hiding = hide 'n' seek = antipeak
Mother's = mother's hug = Bottle and Jug (affectionate/sarcastic nickname for a popular alehouse in the Hive Ward)
room = room and board = ward (goin' up to my room)
pork = pork and beans = greens (copper pieces)
sausage = sausage link(s) = jink(s) (gold pieces)
foolish notions = potions

Rathennan's picture
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Joined: 2005-05-11
Rhyming Slang

This is fun. I gotta few:

Orange=orange's pith=gith
stomp= stomp and shout=tout
fickle=fickle fate=sensate?

I gotta think of more of these. Neva thought bein' cockney would help with anythin'.

Erik's picture
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Joined: 2005-03-11
Rhyming Slang

'Enzo Sarlas' wrote:
sausage = sausage link(s) = jink(s) (gold pieces)
Isn't that jinX?

Clueless's picture
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Webmonkey
Joined: 2008-06-30
Rhyming Slang

Hm? Nope - it's 'jink' for gold in Planescape cant. From the sound coins make hitting each other.

ripvanwormer's picture
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Factol
Joined: 2004-10-05
Rhyming Slang

Jink is money in a general sense. jinx is gold pieces specifically.

Fidrikon's picture
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Factor
Joined: 2004-12-19
Rhyming Slang

I though jink was copper, stingers were silver, greens were gold, I forget platinum...

Erik's picture
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Joined: 2005-03-11
Rhyming Slang

Nah. Greens were copper, so named because some fiends have acidically sweaty palms, giving copper coins handled by fiends that specific bluish-green colour.

Rhys's picture
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factotums
Joined: 2004-05-11
Rhyming Slang

Erik, if I remember correctly, greens are copper pieces (because oxidized copper turns green, so over time a copper coin like a penny turns greenish with rust). Stingers are silver pieces (because baatezu don't do business with them, despite their greed, because of their vulnerability to silver and the discomfort it causes them). Jink is money in general, and I suppose jinx would be gold pieces because they're the most commonly used.

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