“INNIT” AND “BRUV”.

“INNIT” AND “BRUV” I went to the Urban Dictionary for translations of “innit” and “bruv”. Both appear to have originated with “Chavs” and “Townies” and “Pikeys”, but to be used more widely now. The Urban Dictionary has definitions of “Chav”, “Townie”, and “Pikey” and commentary on the words. Some of the commentary is extremely scurrilous and politically incorrect.

“Innit” is a contraction of “isn’t it” and other end-of-sentence questions. The Urban Dictionary says that: “For greatest effect use in places where it would make no sense whatsoever if expanded.”

“Bruv” is used mainly by South Londoners and is short for “bruvva”, which is slang for brother. One comment says: “Typically used 3 or 4 times per sentence.”

For me, some meanings of “Shakespear needs to talk in modern English, innit, bruv?” are that the slang of the the London lower classes may not have been intelligible to the upper classes in Shakespeare’s time, that much of it did not survive 500 years, and that the London slang of today is not intelligible to the upper classes today and that most of it will not survive 500 years into the future.