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Published byJeffery Gaines Modified over 9 years ago
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Australian Slang
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What does this mean? Some blokes and sheilas are going to Richo’s this Sunday arvo to have a barbie and enjoy some amber fluid. Some guys and girls are going to Richard’s this Sunday afternoon to have a barbecue and enjoy some beer.
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Australia Australians have long been famed for their rich and varied vocabulary of slang expressions, commonly referred to as “strine”
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History no exact records of how these slangs started creeping in the language A continuous history of English slang from the 17th century “Cant” Cant: the jargon of a group, often used to exclude or mislead people outside the group
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The Convict Era between 1788 and 1852 convicts were transported from Britain to Australia The Convict language (Flash Language)
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Plant: something or someone intended to trap, decoy, or lure; something hidden, often illegally; scheme to trap, trick, swindle, or defraud Bail-up: to corner (somebody) physically; rob
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The Gold Rush Era (19 th century) A significant number of workers migrated to areas which had discoveries of gold deposit provided Australian English with some lasting terms 1.fossick-to prospect for gold(search, rummage) 2.mullock- rock without gold anything valueless; nonsense; rubbish (a load of mullock)
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First World War W. H. Downing’s Digger dialects: “Australian slang is not a new thing; but in those iron years it was modified beyond recognition by the assimilation of foreign words...”
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Borrowed from Arabic Borrowed from French these terms kind of died down; not really used anymore
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1.Aussie- Australian/ Australia 2.Mate-buddy/friend 3.Digger- a soldier(soldiers had to dig trenches) 4.Furphy- rumor; lie (water carts manufactured in Australia by the Furphy company) helped the soldiers define their sense of Australian identity
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Features Substitutions 1.Rhyming slang: removing one part of a phrase and replacing it with a word that rhymes - to have a Captain Cook: to have a look -pig's ear: beer -frog and toad: road -Barry Crocker: shocker
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2.Metaphor: one word or idea stands in for another -Woop Woop: middle of nowhere -Banana Bender: people from Queensland -Sandgropers: people from Western Australia -Big Smoke : a big city, especially Sydney or Melbourne
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The underlying principle of speaking the Australian way: when in doubt, shorten it.
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Baddie/ Telly/ Arvo / Kindy/ Aggro/ Lippie/ Jammies/ Ambo/ Dunny/ Brolly/ Mossie/ Servo/ Sunnies See the pattern? Words ending with ie/ y/ o
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Abbreviations 1.“ie” endings Baddie-Bad person/ Lippie- Lipstick/ Jammies- Pyjamas/ Mossie-Mosquito/ Sunnies- Sunglasses 2.“y” endings Kindy-Kindergarten/ Telly-Television/ Prezzy- present/ Brolly- umbrella
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3.“o” endings: Aggro-Aggressive/Arvo-Afternoon/Ambo- ambulance or the paramedic in the ambulance/Servo = Service Station
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Analogies -dry as a dead dingo's donger: very thirsty or dry -full as a centipede's sock drawer: very full -flat out like a lizard drinking: working very hard; really busy
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Reversals - Bluey: a red-headed person - Stretch: a short person - Shorty: a tall person - Rowdy: a quiet person - Curly: a bald person
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Black Humor and Irony Many slangs are used to insult people Somewhat vulgar -A stupid person: dag, galah, drongo, boofhead, sb. who couldn’t run a choko vine over a outdoor shithouse -Ugly: a face like a dropped pie, round head -High speed: go like shit off a shovel -flatter someone: piss in one’s pocket -really cold: cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey
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Awkward Misconceptions Thong
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Rubber
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Jock
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Slangs worth knowing G'day: hello Hooroo: goodbye Macca’s: McDonalds Bonza/Bonzer: great She’ll be apples: It'll be alright. Don’t come the raw prawn with me: Tell me the truth. Be honest.
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A: G’day, mate. Where are you heading to? B: Oh, I’m going to Macca’s to get some fried chook. Say, I heard you went to a barbie yesterday arvo. So how was it? A: It was bonza! I had some snags and had so many tinnies that I almost chundered. But you know what? I met a beautiful bluey sheila, and I even got her number! B: What? Come on, don’t come the raw prawn with me.
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A: I’m serious. Actually, I’m meeting her for brekkie tomorrow. Do you think I should bring her a prezzy for our first date? B: Well, maybe you can bring her some expensive chokkies and lollies. A: That’s a bonzer idea. You know, I’ve been like a cat on a hot tin-roof since yesterday. B: No worries. She’ll be apples. A: Thanks, mate. Hooroo, then. B: Hooroo. Half your luck!
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Aussie slang is formed through borrowing, adapting, and interpreting. The end result is a unique Australian blend and a unique Australian view.
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Thanks for listening.
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