If you wanted to upset my old man (that’s Australian for father) you just had to refer to people as guys. “Australians don’t have guys we have blokes or fella or sheilas,” he’d growl.
The older I get the more I think I’m turning into him. Takes for instance butt. Drives. Me. Insane. Australians don’t have butts, we have bums. I truly object to the Americanisation of our rear ends. Likewise they’re arses not asses. Same reason. So I’m making it my mission to bring back the bum. Please help me–it’s part of our national identity.
I do use the word guys though. Love that word. Say it all the time. I occasionally use blokes as in “That Jacko, he’s a really good bloke”but never fella and definitely not sheila, but then I don’t like chick either. Hmm seems I have a problem using colloquial slang to describe my gender.
I am guilty of saying dude—a lot. It’s a little sad when a 40 plus woman says dude, but it’s turned into one of those bad habit things that I can’t break. And worse, I say it all American–dood. Instead of dyood like we say dune. It’s my road rage word. Do I swear and curse and wave my hand around when a tradie in a ute talking on a mobile phone cuts me off? Nope, I just drawl “Dooood” and shake my head. God I’m cool.
My father had some other great Australian saying that are going by the wayside. Did anyone else’s father say these?
- He’s as useless as tits on a boar.
- He’s built like a brick shithouse.
- He couldn’t knock the cherry off a rice pudding.
Aren’t they great?
While I’m on this topic I’d also like to pay tribute to Alf off Home and Away. Stone the flaming crows, what that man hasn’t done in his quest to retain the essence of the Australian vernacular. It will indeed by a sad day for Australian English when Ray Meagher dies and leaves the show.
That man is a worthy recipient of the Gold Logie. Actually I think he should get one of those honorary doctrates that unis hand out like lollies to everyone.
Oh don’t get me started on lollies–oops, looks like I just did. They are lollies, not candies or sweets. Likewise biscuits are bikkies not cookies. Hugh Jackman made that point very clear on Oprah, and the daytime queen herself directed that they should be called bikkies, not cookies. Also when did peanut paste become peanut butter and I’m bringing back the patty cake. What’s that you ask? The real name for a cupcake.
Someone in Brisbane has brought out a guide to help foreign students cope with living in Brisbane. It’s called the Brisbane Insider Guide and covers such essentials as where to eat, sun safety and how to survive a festival. I hope it’s got something in there about surf safety. Gosh a lot of Asian tourists drown on our beaches. I’d think that’s equally as important as trying to figure out the complexities of our public transport system.
Anyway there’s a whole section devoted to slang. And what a mixed bag it is. Some of it was very trendy Gen Y, Z stuff that I know as well as I know Italian. Then there’s this mix of Alf and my father’s talk. I’m not going to put Kevin Rudd in there because he slaughtered our idioms. Dood–there’s nothing worse than a tryhard.
So here’s a selection of some of the Aussie survival words for international students.
- bloody oath: I certainly agree
- cark it: to sleep or expire (actually it means die)
- crook: to be unwell
- dunny: toilet
- galah: idiot
- piece of piss: quite simple
- durry: cigarette
- yobbo: rude male
I have to be frank. I can’t think of one recent occasion where I’ve used these words. Maybe I’m not as Aussie as I like to think. I don’t think I even say G’day mate. Do you?
Anyway it might come in handy if those international students are trying to watch Home and Away. At least they’ll have a clue what Alf is on about. Image
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