First Things First
Before you even board a plane to Australia, there are a few things you should know. Me being a Yank and all, I have heard a few Australian phrases from American TV, movies, and other forms of media, but I have not had the good fortune of being friends or even acquainted with any native Aussies. Therefore, I find it my duty and pleasure to introduce and familiarize future adventurers to some of the lingustic differences between "American" English and that which will greet you Down Under.
Initially you may notice that something in Aussie speech sounds a bit different but you can't exactly pinpoint it. I find that this may described as punctuating each spoken sentence as if it were a question - the tone of voice always sounds a bit higher by the last word. It's one of those habits that you most likely will find yourself absorbing by osmosis and subsequently exhibiting in your own speech!
Unless you have been discovered alighting from the plane by a talent agent and are whisked off to appear in the next "Crocodile Dundee" installment, there is really no need to say "G'day mate" to every blond and bronzed friendly Aussie face that acknowledges your presence. I have been here for almost 2 months and have only heard this twice. Maybe it was spoken by foreigners who wanted to sound like fair dinkum Aussies! I'm not sure ... I think I was too stunned after actually hearing this to actually listen to what might have followed!
This being said, what I most commonly hear is:
"How are you going?" or what sounds like "Howaya?"
Other useful words/Aussie slang include:
"Heaps": lots, or tons.
"Hotel": usually they call bars and pubs a Hotel. The first one I went to was the Lansdown Hotel in Annandale. It is just a bar with no accomodation, but they do have a meat tray raffle on Friday evenings during happy hour!
"Pissed": at the Lansdown is where you get pissed. At first I confused this with "pissed off" but by itself it just means drunk.
"Lollies": candy. I discovered this at the movies when buying something to munch on.
"Eat in or take away?": For here or to go? No one says to go, but I think either one will do!
"Straight away": right away, immediately.
"Holiday": vacation. I am guessing that individual holidays are recognized by their formal names.
"Much of a muchness": something that doesn't matter either way, if there is a choice.
"Footy", "Brekkie", "Chokkie", "Chrissie", "Prezzy", Uni", "Cockie", etc: First, forgive me if I am spelling these wrong. I have seen them spelled with "y" and "ie" at the end. These mean football, breakfast, chocolate, Christmas, present, university, and cockroach, respectively. Australians have an apparent fondness for making diminutive forms of as many words as seemingly possible.
"Flat white", "Long black": Coffee terms that still remain somewhat of a mystery to me. I will write more on the coffee scene another day!
These are just a few that I have heard on a regular basis, but there are hundreds more, and they are indeed fun to read about! Try these websites for starters:
Koala Net
Aussie Slang
Strine and Australian Slang
One last bit of language advice ... never, under any circumstances, refer to the small bag that you clip around your waist as a "fanny pack".
Cheers!
Initially you may notice that something in Aussie speech sounds a bit different but you can't exactly pinpoint it. I find that this may described as punctuating each spoken sentence as if it were a question - the tone of voice always sounds a bit higher by the last word. It's one of those habits that you most likely will find yourself absorbing by osmosis and subsequently exhibiting in your own speech!
Unless you have been discovered alighting from the plane by a talent agent and are whisked off to appear in the next "Crocodile Dundee" installment, there is really no need to say "G'day mate" to every blond and bronzed friendly Aussie face that acknowledges your presence. I have been here for almost 2 months and have only heard this twice. Maybe it was spoken by foreigners who wanted to sound like fair dinkum Aussies! I'm not sure ... I think I was too stunned after actually hearing this to actually listen to what might have followed!
This being said, what I most commonly hear is:
"How are you going?" or what sounds like "Howaya?"
Other useful words/Aussie slang include:
"Heaps": lots, or tons.
"Hotel": usually they call bars and pubs a Hotel. The first one I went to was the Lansdown Hotel in Annandale. It is just a bar with no accomodation, but they do have a meat tray raffle on Friday evenings during happy hour!
"Pissed": at the Lansdown is where you get pissed. At first I confused this with "pissed off" but by itself it just means drunk.
"Lollies": candy. I discovered this at the movies when buying something to munch on.
"Eat in or take away?": For here or to go? No one says to go, but I think either one will do!
"Straight away": right away, immediately.
"Holiday": vacation. I am guessing that individual holidays are recognized by their formal names.
"Much of a muchness": something that doesn't matter either way, if there is a choice.
"Footy", "Brekkie", "Chokkie", "Chrissie", "Prezzy", Uni", "Cockie", etc: First, forgive me if I am spelling these wrong. I have seen them spelled with "y" and "ie" at the end. These mean football, breakfast, chocolate, Christmas, present, university, and cockroach, respectively. Australians have an apparent fondness for making diminutive forms of as many words as seemingly possible.
"Flat white", "Long black": Coffee terms that still remain somewhat of a mystery to me. I will write more on the coffee scene another day!
These are just a few that I have heard on a regular basis, but there are hundreds more, and they are indeed fun to read about! Try these websites for starters:
Koala Net
Aussie Slang
Strine and Australian Slang
One last bit of language advice ... never, under any circumstances, refer to the small bag that you clip around your waist as a "fanny pack".
Cheers!
posted by Jill at
4:03 PM
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