"It's a bit taters here. Shall I light the fire?"

Question

Is this from the Cockney rhyming slang taters in the mould (potatoes in the mould)? E.g."It's a bit taters here. Shall I light the fire?"

¿Es del cockney que rima los taters del argot en el molde (patatas en el molde)?. Por ejemplo. "Está un poco aqui, ¿voy a encender el fuego?"

Hi everybody , I didn't understand this , maybe Ian himself can explain.

Can taters mean cold?

"Está un poco aquí"...means nothing really...

anyway, please explain, thanks

It is rhyming slang we use it too , your explanation is quite correct , worth a vote from me . - ray76, Aug 12, 2017

I edited it - slang is difficult to translate. Sorry. :) - ian-hill, Aug 12, 2017

Nice thread. I was wondering the same thing after viewing Picture of the Day. :) - Sassette, Aug 12, 2017

Answer 1

It is possible, but I've never heard it. It may be popular in London. Of course I've heard of Taters meaning potatoes. They are known as tatties in Scotland.

Slang I know for cold

It is a bit nippy ( colder than you thought it would be) It's a bit parky ( as above but slightly colder) It is brass monkey weather ( very cold) It's baltic or it's pure baltic. ( Very cold) It's perishing. ( Very cold) There are plenty more, but all of the above are in general use, though brass monkey weather is from a longer term which is not in general use.

Cold enough to freeze the balls off of a brass monkey. :)) - ian-hill, Aug 13, 2017

I thought shorter saying was good enough! - Mardle, Aug 13, 2017

Answer 2

Can taters mean cold?

Yes exactly. I assume it comes from potatoes but I'm not from London so I can't be sure.

Answer 3

No you often just use the word which began the rhyme eg can I have a butchers means can I have a look. The rhyme is butcher's hook which rhymes with look. - Mardle

Oh, you can? wow, I didn't know that, not that I will ever need it, jejeje

:) - ian-hill, Aug 13, 2017

Answer 4

I looked at a Cockney rhyming slang web site. (Yes, there actually is such a thing. Many in fact.). "Taters in the mould" is indeed CRS for "cold."

Here's an explanation: "When potatoes are nearing their time for harvest, the earth is in a pile. This heap is a 'mould'. we then have taters (potatoes) in the mould ..."

Now, I think I'll have another tumble.

:) - ian-hill, Aug 13, 2017

Answer 5

Oh no...I got it!

taters doesn't meant cold, it is the whole rhyme that does:

taters in the mould = cold

This is like "apples and pears" = stairs

No you often just use the word which began the rhyme eg can I have a butchers means can I have a look. The rhyme is butcher's hook which rhymes with look. - Mardle, Aug 12, 2017

I haven't heard taters used in cockney rhyming slang but Ian has and I live more than a 100 mls from London - Mardle, Aug 12, 2017

Yes exactly - "skin and blister" = sister. :) - ian-hill, Aug 13, 2017