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TV Language Spreads Coarse Diction at Billingsgate Market
London fish merchants at Billingsgate lament TV and radio obscenities seeping into daily chatter. They recall four letter words as a norm, note fewer tourists since liberalized broadcasts, and describe the market's enduring tradition of colorful banter amid changing times. The piece highlights aging porters, the Cock pub culture, and the market’s historic role in shaping Cockney speech.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
London
Billingsgate
Salvation Army
Joe Phillips
Ted Marshall
BBC Radio
Phillips
Nors
Covent Garden
Ed Daithey
Henry Higgins
Liza Doolittle
Aberdeen
Hull
Dover
Grimsby
Lowestoft
Ed Gardiner