Nineteenth Century Street Talk

Cove. Brick. Gammy. These are some of the Victorian slang words I incorporated into my new release, The Sleuth of Blackfriars Lane, to give it a Dickensian flavor…and were, in fact, taken from Dickens himself.

Charles Dickens and his son compiled a weekly literary journal called All the Year Round, a periodical that was distributed throughout the UK between 1859 and 1895. The journal featured a mix of fiction, non-fiction, and editorial content. As for slang words, Dickens was known for his vivid and authentic portrayal of characters from different social backgrounds. He often incorporated colloquial language to capture the speech patterns of various classes in Victorian society. Here are some examples of such colorful language.

A Gentleman of Four Outs
Someone who acts like or claims to be a person of high class but lacks the necessary qualities. The “four outs” means he is without wit, money, credit, or manners.

Brick
The best of fellows with a good character

Cove
Slang for a man or a person

Duffers
Thieves or pickpockets

Gammy
To be ill-tempered or ill-natured

Mizzle
To leave or run away

Rum
Strange or peculiar

Yaffle
To eat or drink noisily

Winklepicker
A pointed-toe shoe

I always try to incorporate some fun words into all my stories, and The Sleuth of Blackfriars Lane is no exception. You can purchase your copy HERE or enter to win a signed copy.