What's "Cor" mean

[Geoff Bannister]

--- In HPFGU-OTChatter at yahoogroups.com, "Carol" <justcarol67 at ...> wrote:

Carol:
> "Cor blimey
> 
> "Meaning[:] An exclamation of surprise.
> 
> "Origin[:] A euphemism (specifically a minced oath) derived from 'God
> blind me'.
> 
> "First recorded in print in Barrère and Leland's A dictionary of
> slang, jargon and cant 1888–90, 1897.
> 
> "An alternative spelling was used, slightly earlier, by Arthur
> Morrison in "A child of the Jago," 1896: "Gawblimy, not what?"
> 
> "It is also sometimes spelled gorblimey."

Geoff:
I did point out in a recent post that this phrase is very much a
term used by Londoners. I say that rather than Cockney, because 
technically, not every native Londoner is a Cockney although they 
may have a Cockney accent and use Cockney expressions.

I'm not a native of London, but after 45 years living in "Sarf Lunnon"
I can claim a reasonable acquaintance with London idioms. I have 
always understood "cor blimey" to match the deifintion quoted
above by Carol.

You rarely hear the phrase repeated in full but the two words will 
often be heard used separately. Both are used as expressions of 
surprise, "cor" perhaps more for a pleasant one. "Blimey" is more 
likely to be an expression of annoyance. I even use them 
occasionally!