Cockney is a nickname for a citizen of London, particularly one from the East End area. According to tradition, a cockney is anyone born within the sound of the bells of St. Mary-le-Bow Church. Cockney also applies to a dialect of English. Speakers change certain vowel sounds; for example, lady becomes lydy and road, rowd. They also drop the h at the start of words and may add one in a word starting with a vowel; for example, ard for hard and hanswered for answered. The word cockney originally meant a misshapen egg. See also London (People) .
