Australians speak the the language that was handed down to their predecessors by Mother England, but a lot has changed in a couple of hundred years.
Sure, the accent is distinctive, with its elongated vowel sounds and trademark rising inflexion, as if we are asking a question? with every statement? as if needing reassurance?
But Australian English, while not formally recognised by linguists as a separate language, has evolved unique and characteristic expressions that may be unfamiliar to the British (or American) ear.
There has always been a focus on the number of Americanisms that have crept into in the everyday Australian lexicon, with terms such as "dude" or "awesome," popular since the spread of surf culture in the 1970s and '80s.
Well, Australians too have developed a unique vocabulary that is not well understood by English speakers of other countries. Furthermore, the idea of what constitutes "Australian slang" tends to be outtdated.
So if you're a Brit who is considering (as so many are right now) moving to Australia, want to get a grip on what's going on in Neighbours or simply be able to decipher your Aussie bartender, here is a guide to what Australians are saying. I've also touched on what Australians are NOT saying, despite what the rest of the world thinks.
AUSTRALIAN WORDS (OR EXPRESSIONS WITH A UNIQUELY AUSTRALIAN MEANING)
The Shits
Denotes anger, frustration, at someone or a situation. Eg; "I've got the shits at her for stealing my boyfriend." This does not mean you need to visit the bathroom (NOT loo) every five minutes because you've just returned from a week in Thailand.
Root
To have sex with. If you hear "I rooted that hot chick last night," it doesn't have anything to do with having a root around in your bag to find your keys. In politeness terms, it's about on par with the British "shag."
Westie
Originally a derogatory term used to describe a person from the lower-class Western Suburbs of Sydney, the use of the word "Westie" now extends to cover any uneducated, unfashionable individual with poor taste in hairstyle, footwear and clothing.
Bogan
In a similar vein to the Westie, the term "Bogan" was first used in the 1980s to describe a flannel-shirt clad person with a hotted-up car and a penchant for AC-DC. It is now used as a derogatory class separator, in a similar way to as the British "Chav," or the American "Trailer Trash." If The Only Way Is Essex were screened in Australia, the stars would undoubtedly be classified as "Bogans."
Skippy
No, not the Kangaroo from the TV show in the '70s, silly. Skippy, or Skip, is the term used to describe an Anglo-Saxon Australian.
Yobbo
Apparently, Brits use this term to denote an unruly child. In Australia, this is used to describe a boisterous, crude (most likely drunk) individual (possibly also a bogan).
Pom
This term is not new to most Brits, but it is never used within the UK. In fact, it does not even rate a mention in the Oxford English Dictionary. But I've included it here because most Brits probably underestimate its usage abroad.
Try as you like to ignore it, Pom is how you're most likely to be referred if you are visiting Australia - no one is going to call you a Brit (although they might call you 'English', even if you're from Wales).
NOT happy, Jan!
This doesn't mean you have "the shits" with your Aunty Jan. The origins of this expression hark back to a Telstra (phone company) ad in the early 2000s, where a boss isn't happy with the failure of her employee Jan to buy a listing in the Yellow Pages. She leans out the window, yelling, "NOT happy....Jan!" as Jan runs down the street to rectify the situation. Australians use this to express their frustration at a situation that has not turned out in their favour.
Daggy
Uncool, dated, retro (not in a good way). You may have come across this if you watch Home and Away or Neighbours
Paddy wagon
This NOT a term to describe your Irish neighbour's ride. Rather, it is a police vehicle with a large cabin at the back used for locking up criminals on the way to the 'Cop Shop' (police station).
Povvo
Someone, or something that is poor, or of inferior quality. Can also be used as an insult to accuse a person of stinginess. "You're such a povvo, mate."
Paddock
Originally used to mean a field where crops are grown/livestock kept, but is now in use by sports commentators to mean the field of play. "Charging down the paddock" is more likely to mean the actions of a football team in the lead-up to scoring a try than describing the plight of a bull on a farm.
Right...
Said with a flat tone (no rising inflexion for once). This means the opposite of how it looks. If someone says this to you, they are not agreeing with you - in fact the opposite is probably true.
Servo
A service station.
Grog bog
A loose, generous number two that typically follows a big boozy night out.
WHAT AUSTRALIANS ARE NOT SAYING
Antipodean
Seriously, why do Brits insist on using this word! I had not heard a single utterance of this term before moving to the UK. Neither had any other Australians or New Zealanders I know that have spent time there.
The Antipodes literally means a place on the opposite end of the earth. Well, fair enough, but I suspect Brits only use this term to disguise their inability to distinguish between Australian, New Zealand and South African accents. That's as lame as not being able to tell a Londoner from a Scotsman.
Fair Dinkum
Do I look like a sheep shearer to you? This term went out with the end of the 19th century. Variants of it have been revived recently, such as former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's cringeworthy retort: "fair shake of the sauce bottle, mate."
Down Under
Again, this is YOUR term of reference to describe our homeland. No right-minded Australian would ever use this phrase to describe where they are from, even when travelling overseas.
Aussie
YOU call us Aussie, WE call ourselves Australian, either singularly, or as a group of Australians. It's probably for the same reasons that you never call yourself a Pom. Interestingly, we do apply the term to inanimate objects, for example, the "Aussie dollar."
Sure, the accent is distinctive, with its elongated vowel sounds and trademark rising inflexion, as if we are asking a question? with every statement? as if needing reassurance?
But Australian English, while not formally recognised by linguists as a separate language, has evolved unique and characteristic expressions that may be unfamiliar to the British (or American) ear.There has always been a focus on the number of Americanisms that have crept into in the everyday Australian lexicon, with terms such as "dude" or "awesome," popular since the spread of surf culture in the 1970s and '80s.
Well, Australians too have developed a unique vocabulary that is not well understood by English speakers of other countries. Furthermore, the idea of what constitutes "Australian slang" tends to be outtdated.
So if you're a Brit who is considering (as so many are right now) moving to Australia, want to get a grip on what's going on in Neighbours or simply be able to decipher your Aussie bartender, here is a guide to what Australians are saying. I've also touched on what Australians are NOT saying, despite what the rest of the world thinks.
AUSTRALIAN WORDS (OR EXPRESSIONS WITH A UNIQUELY AUSTRALIAN MEANING)
The ShitsDenotes anger, frustration, at someone or a situation. Eg; "I've got the shits at her for stealing my boyfriend." This does not mean you need to visit the bathroom (NOT loo) every five minutes because you've just returned from a week in Thailand.
Root
To have sex with. If you hear "I rooted that hot chick last night," it doesn't have anything to do with having a root around in your bag to find your keys. In politeness terms, it's about on par with the British "shag."
Westie
Originally a derogatory term used to describe a person from the lower-class Western Suburbs of Sydney, the use of the word "Westie" now extends to cover any uneducated, unfashionable individual with poor taste in hairstyle, footwear and clothing.
In a similar vein to the Westie, the term "Bogan" was first used in the 1980s to describe a flannel-shirt clad person with a hotted-up car and a penchant for AC-DC. It is now used as a derogatory class separator, in a similar way to as the British "Chav," or the American "Trailer Trash." If The Only Way Is Essex were screened in Australia, the stars would undoubtedly be classified as "Bogans."
Skippy
No, not the Kangaroo from the TV show in the '70s, silly. Skippy, or Skip, is the term used to describe an Anglo-Saxon Australian.
Yobbo
Apparently, Brits use this term to denote an unruly child. In Australia, this is used to describe a boisterous, crude (most likely drunk) individual (possibly also a bogan).
Pom
This term is not new to most Brits, but it is never used within the UK. In fact, it does not even rate a mention in the Oxford English Dictionary. But I've included it here because most Brits probably underestimate its usage abroad.
Try as you like to ignore it, Pom is how you're most likely to be referred if you are visiting Australia - no one is going to call you a Brit (although they might call you 'English', even if you're from Wales).
This doesn't mean you have "the shits" with your Aunty Jan. The origins of this expression hark back to a Telstra (phone company) ad in the early 2000s, where a boss isn't happy with the failure of her employee Jan to buy a listing in the Yellow Pages. She leans out the window, yelling, "NOT happy....Jan!" as Jan runs down the street to rectify the situation. Australians use this to express their frustration at a situation that has not turned out in their favour.
Daggy
Uncool, dated, retro (not in a good way). You may have come across this if you watch Home and Away or Neighbours
Paddy wagon
This NOT a term to describe your Irish neighbour's ride. Rather, it is a police vehicle with a large cabin at the back used for locking up criminals on the way to the 'Cop Shop' (police station).
Povvo
Someone, or something that is poor, or of inferior quality. Can also be used as an insult to accuse a person of stinginess. "You're such a povvo, mate."
Originally used to mean a field where crops are grown/livestock kept, but is now in use by sports commentators to mean the field of play. "Charging down the paddock" is more likely to mean the actions of a football team in the lead-up to scoring a try than describing the plight of a bull on a farm.
Right...
Said with a flat tone (no rising inflexion for once). This means the opposite of how it looks. If someone says this to you, they are not agreeing with you - in fact the opposite is probably true.
Servo
A service station.
Grog bog
A loose, generous number two that typically follows a big boozy night out.
WHAT AUSTRALIANS ARE NOT SAYING
Antipodean
Seriously, why do Brits insist on using this word! I had not heard a single utterance of this term before moving to the UK. Neither had any other Australians or New Zealanders I know that have spent time there.
The Antipodes literally means a place on the opposite end of the earth. Well, fair enough, but I suspect Brits only use this term to disguise their inability to distinguish between Australian, New Zealand and South African accents. That's as lame as not being able to tell a Londoner from a Scotsman. Fair Dinkum
Do I look like a sheep shearer to you? This term went out with the end of the 19th century. Variants of it have been revived recently, such as former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's cringeworthy retort: "fair shake of the sauce bottle, mate."
Down Under
Again, this is YOUR term of reference to describe our homeland. No right-minded Australian would ever use this phrase to describe where they are from, even when travelling overseas.
Aussie
YOU call us Aussie, WE call ourselves Australian, either singularly, or as a group of Australians. It's probably for the same reasons that you never call yourself a Pom. Interestingly, we do apply the term to inanimate objects, for example, the "Aussie dollar."
