Irvine Welsh question

[CropleyWasGod]

I'm reading Skag Boys just now, and loving it.

One of the things I like is working out the rhyming-slang that he uses. Most of it is clear, but there's one that has me scoobied. :greengrin

It's the word "cowie" which, in context, seems to mean HIV or AIDS. However, I can't work out where the rhyming bit comes.

Anyone? :confused:

[speedy_gonzales]

I'm reading Skag Boys just now, and loving it.

One of the things I like is working out the rhyming-slang that he uses. Most of it is clear, but there's one that has me scoobied. :greengrin

It's the word "cowie" which, in context, seems to mean HIV or AIDS. However, I can't work out where the rhyming bit comes.

Anyone? :confused:
Not read it, but cow shed-dead?
The virus used to be a death sentence back then, not so much now!

[MSK]

I'm reading Skag Boys just now, and loving it.

One of the things I like is working out the rhyming-slang that he uses. Most of it is clear, but there's one that has me scoobied. :greengrin

It's the word "cowie" which, in context, seems to mean HIV or AIDS. However, I can't work out where the rhyming bit comes.

Anyone? :confused:From the Urban dictionary ..cowie - geordie word for ecstacy

[CropleyWasGod]

From the Urban dictionary ..cowie - geordie word for ecstacy

I saw that. But it doesn't fit the context, unless I've misunderstood it. I'll have another look.

[MSK]

Or ..

cowie

a yorkshire term for cocaine

'that bags full of chalk powder, not cowie mate, youve been jipped

[MSK]

Or ..

cowie

a yorkshire term for cocaine

'that bags full of chalk powder, not cowie mate, youve been jipped

[CropleyWasGod]

From the Urban dictionary ..cowie - geordie word for ecstacy

I saw that. But it doesn't fit the context, unless I've misunderstood it. I'll have another look.

According to this, it's AIDS, but it's just slang, not rhyming.

http://thedabbler.co.uk/2012/11/celtic-centre-the-slang-of-irvine-welsh/

[Killiehibbie]

a thing, e.g. Deek at that cowie = Look at thing.
How it ended up as a term for HIV I don't know.

[GhostofBolivar]

I'm reading Skag Boys just now, and loving it.

One of the things I like is working out the rhyming-slang that he uses. Most of it is clear, but there's one that has me scoobied. :greengrin

It's the word "cowie" which, in context, seems to mean HIV or AIDS. However, I can't work out where the rhyming bit comes.

Anyone? :confused:

You could always ask him... (https://twitter.com/WelshIrvine)

[joe breezy]

Cowie is AIDS right enough - I've got pals that said it other than Irvine

Billy Ray Syrus is the rhyming slang

[Lucius Apuleius]

Coz anyone from Cowie is a skag bag? :greengrin

Only joking Cowie Hibs, it is a fine place, and the priest is a Hibby.

[jodjam]

I'm reading Skag Boys just now, and loving it.

One of the things I like is working out the rhyming-slang that he uses. Most of it is clear, but there's one that has me scoobied. :greengrin

It's the word "cowie" which, in context, seems to mean HIV or AIDS. However, I can't work out where the rhyming bit comes.

Anyone? :confused:

Just finished it last week. Really enjoyed it. The cowie bit got me confused to

[EH6 Hibby]

I grew up in Leith and HIV was often called The Cowie, I remember asking someone why but they didn't know either. I never took it to be rhyming slang, it was just a word that seemed to have stuck.

[cocopops1875]

Always thought "The Cowie" was a term for bad illness taken from Mad Cow Disease, But could cover any range of illness

[Phil D. Rolls]

Always thought "The Cowie" was a term for bad illness taken from Mad Cow Disease, But could cover any range of illness

I think HIV came before MCD. I like "cow shed, dead", seems to make sense, as we are looking for rhymng slang.

A real outsider here, is it maybe a Hindi word in the same way as chorey is?

[RyeSloan]

I think HIV came before MCD. I like "cow shed, dead", seems to make sense, as we are looking for rhymng slang.

A real outsider here, is it maybe a Hindi word in the same way as chorey is?


Chori is the Hindi spelling I see from google :greengrin

This is a word I grew up with and forever thought of as simply (Edinburgh) slang....amazed it's actually Hindi but I assume it came into being thanks to all the Indian shopkeepers and their local patrons desire to relieve them of their goods without paying!

[cocopops1875]

I think HIV came before MCD. I like "cow shed, dead", seems to make sense, as we are looking for rhymng slang.

A real outsider here, is it maybe a Hindi word in the same way as chorey is?

Agree about the HIV Angle as i was a bit young to remember the Start of it all, Just recall Cowie being used as i described. Do remeber Chori Though :greengrin

[Phil D. Rolls]

Chori is the Hindi spelling I see from google :greengrin

This is a word I grew up with and forever thought of as simply (Edinburgh) slang....amazed it's actually Hindi but I assume it came into being thanks to all the Indian shopkeepers and their local patrons desire to relieve them of their goods without paying!

I was told it was when people stile tea from the boats that docked at Leith.

[Killiehibbie]

I was told it was when people stile tea from the boats that docked at Leith.I thought chor was a Romany word for steal. I suppose all their words have origins in different languages.

[Phil D. Rolls]

I thought chor was a Romany word for steal. I suppose all their words have origins in different languages.

I'm not sure about this, but I think Romanys trace their roots to India.

[Killiehibbie]

I'm not sure about this, but I think Romanys trace their roots to India.
They can be traced back to what is now the Indian state of Rajasthan about 250 BC.