Dog's Eye and Dead Horse: The Complete Guide to Australian Rhyming Slang

Description

A comprehensive collection of Australian rhyming slang, in all its fascinating (and bawdy) glory. It's much more fun to say 'What's the John Dory?' instead of 'What's the story?' and 'Give me a Captain Cook' instead of 'Give me a look', and wonderfully cheeky to remark 'Who made the apple tart?' instead of 'Who made a fart?' But there is also a darker side to rhyming slang - it can be used like a secret code (perhaps that's why criminals have always been fond of it!). Since colonial days, Australians have used rhyming slang with great style. And as the addition of Britney Spears (beers) goes to show, rhyming slang is still very much alive. In DOG'S EYE AND DEAD HORSE, Graham Seal shares his long-held fascination with this aspect of everyday language. As well as including an A to Z section, he groups the rhymes by themes - 'the body plus its functions, its adornments and its afflictions' has the most entries. Expect irreverence, whimsy and wit. You may be shocked but you will also laugh out loud.

Graham Seal is the author of THESE FEW LINES, which won the National Biography Award in 2008. Professor of Folklore at Curtin University in WA, he is married with two daughters.