Aussie slang

[PeterB]

Oh, we could get onto all sort of Australian slang. My all-time favourite is the chunder, otherwise known as a technicolour yawn.

Okay then, time for a thread covering various terms in Australian slang.

I'll start with a few terms, and I'll add more as they come to mind. Other Aussies on the list may care to add some too...

Driving the porcelain bus: Vomiting into a toilet.

Talking to God on the Great White Telephone: Vomiting into a toilet.

Bogan/Westie: sort of urban redneck, usually identified by black T-shirt under flannelette shirt, ute and beer.

Ute: Utility, better known to Septics as a "pick-up truck".

Septic: American (rhyming slang: American = Yank > Septic Tank > Septic).

Cactus: something dead or not working: "Me ute's cactus!"

Fair dinkum: An expression of disbelief, or confirmation that something is genuine, real or true. NOTE: It isn't swearing! "Is that story fair dinkum?" "Yep." "Fair dinkum!"

Cockroach: a person from New South Wales.

Cane Toad or Banana Bender: a person from Queensland.

Crow Eater: a person from South Australia.

Sand Groper: a person from West Australia.

Taswegian: a person from Tasmania.

Figjam: a person who has a high opinion of himself: Crikey I'm Good, Just Ask Me.

G'day: Good Day.

Flat out like a lizard drinking: Busy.

Off like a bucket of prawns in the sun: Leaving in a hurry.

Two pot screamer: someone who gets drunk easily.

Root: Horizontal tango. NOTE: It doesn't meaing vocal support for your footy team!

Footy: Football.

Aerial ping-pong: What rugby league supporters call Australian Rules footy.

Bum sniffers: What Australian Rules footy supporters call rugby league players (understandable if you see a rugby scrum).

Yakka: work. Hard Yakka is the name of a company which makes work clothes, promoted by means of an iconic TV ad back in the 1980s - still makes me laugh when I think of it.

[Waspie_Dwarf]

peterb said:

Bum sniffers: What Australian Rules footy supporters call rugby league players (understandable if you see a rugby scrum).

Also what Rugby League players call Rugby Union players.

[jagster]

I first heard of the word "chunder" in the Men At Work song, "Land Down Under." Since I'm a yank I had to figure out what it meant from the rest of the lyrics. I always thought that was a great term.
BTW, is vegamite any good?

[Jason]

Do Aussies other than the late Steve Irwin really say "crikey"?

[Ginnie]

A few bits of Newfoundland slang:

Lord Dine scandanavian jesus 'by

Long may your big jib draw : live long and prosper

Shockin' dat is, shockin b'y : It's shocking

Oh me nerves, de got me drove : My nerves are bad

Your as slow as cold molasses runnin' up a hill

Where you 'longs to? : where are you from?

If I 'ad a face da likes a yers, me son, I'd walk backwards

Bayman : any one who is not from the St.John's Metro area

Townie : anyone from St.John's

[PeterB]

jason said:

Do Aussies other than the late Steve Irwin really say "crikey"?

Not since Steve Irwin started to get famous... ;-)

[PeterB]

jagster said:

I first heard of the word "chunder" in the Men At Work song, "Land Down Under." Since I'm a yank I had to figure out what it meant from the rest of the lyrics. I always thought that was a great term.

I do love that song. It was very popular when Australia II won the America's Cup back in 1983, and it still crops up occasionally on the radio.

BTW, is vegamite any good?

It's probably an acquired taste, and sometimes I get a bit of a craving for it. It's main taste is salty, so it's similar to a number of other savoury spreads you might put on bread or toast. It goes well with a slice of cheese (noting that in Australia, cheese is yellow, not orange!).

My oldest brother and his family spent a year or so in the USA back in 2003-04, and when I flew over to visit, I brought a stash of Aussie products unavailable in the USA. One of them was an enormous jar of Vegemite. My brother later told me that he spread some Vegemite on a piece of bread, and gave it to an American friend, telling them that it was a chocolate spread. I gave him a very reproachful look!

[PeterB]

A few more slang terms:

Cozzie: Swimming costume.

Budgie smugglers: men's Speedos.

Budgie: Budgerigar (small parrot, popular pet).

Brekky: Breakfast.

Bikkie: Biscuit (what Americans would call a cookie).

Barbie: Barbecue.

Arvo: Afternoon.

Garbo: Person who collects the garbage, or who drives a garbage truck.

Postie: Postman.

Galah: Idiot (named for a small cockatoo famous for its antics and loud screech, emphasis on second syllable). Often applied to stupid drivers.

Cockie: Cockatoo. Also a term for a farmer.

Back of Bourke: A long way away (Bourke is a small town in the west of New South Wales).

Black Stump: Indeterminate location a long way away: "He lives somewhere out beyond the black stump."

Don't come the raw prawn: Don't try lying.

Shot through like a Bondi tram: Left in a hurry. (To save embarrassment, Bondi is pronounced BON-dye.)

Bonzer: Really good.

Better than a poke in the eye with a burnt stick: Could be worse.

Buckley's chance: Not likely. "Carlton have Buckley's chance of winning this footy match."

A more colourful version I've recently read (attributed to someone from half a century ago): "I've got more chance of shoving a pound of butter up a parrot's clacker with a red hot needle."

Clacker: Part of human anatomy used for defecation. Actually has a Latin origin, which I'll leave to your research.

[BertL]

One thing I've always wondered about Aussies is whether they really use "Mate". Do you, Aussie people?

[PhantomWolf]

Aussies are the masters of Mate. In fact they tried to ban it in the Ozzie Parliment about a year or two back and it caused an uproar over there, lol

[Obviousman]

Mate, we use mate constantly. It has a variety of uses:

"G'day mate!" - I can't remember your name.

"Maaaaaate!" (with downwards pitch) - Disappointment, or pleading.

"Maaaaaate!" (with upward pitch) - Greeting to an revered friend.

" A mate of mine..." - A bloke I know.

"A good mate of mine..." - A friend

"This bastard...." - A very good friend.

"Struth, mate, ....." - I am just about to tell a load of lies (see The Warry)

"All my mates..." - A person I talk to occasionally.

"MATE!" - I am financially inconvenienced and am hoping you will buy me beer.

(Peter - do people know what Speedos are?)

[Obviousman]

THE ‘WARRY’ AND ASSOCIATED SAFETY FACTORS

For something that occurs as often as they, do it seems very little is known about “warries”. Quite simply they can be divided in to three easy to remember classes – A, B and C.

CLASS C

The most commonly spun Warry is a Class C. These can, and do, occur almost anywhere. Class C Warries contain such things as “How drunk I was last night”, “How many fights I won”, “How many women/men I picked up” etc. etc.

IMMEDIATE ACTION DRILL: These Warries can be handled by anyone of Able Seamen rank or above. Some simple replies to Class C Warries are:
bullsh*t!
Come off it!
Fair Dinkum!
F_ _ _ Off!
I’ve got to go now.

CLASS B

Nowhere near as dangerous as Class A, but should still be handled with caution. These Warries are about “ How big the swell was “ , “ How the ‘Wang’ used to be “, runs shore in other countries or how fast the ship used to go!

IMMEDIATE ACTION: Don anti-flash and try to black-cat the Warry yourself. If the Warry continues to gain in strength (higher bullsh*t content) leave the scene and pipe all Three Badgemen to the scene.

Be wary of Class B Warries whilst on the grog – too much alcohol can turn a fairly harmless Class B Warry into an out of control Class A.

Where do Class B’s occur? Flight Decks, Quarter Decks, Port and Starboard, Aft Water Coolers and some rec. spaces.

CLASS A

These are by far the most dangerous of any Warry. They do not occur very often, but when they do make sure you stay well away.
How do you know if you are caught in a Class A Warry? These are Warries that have anything to do with aircraft carriers, the Navy before bunks were fitted and Indian Ocean deployments.

IMMEDIATE ACTION: Leave the scene. Do not attempt to beat the Warry yourself. Pipe the most senior of the ship’s company to the scene. Rope off the area to a distance of seven meters and post duty watch as sentries.
Where do Class A Warries occur? Senior Sailors Messes.

REMEMBER YOUR WARRY TRIANGLE: REMOVAL OF ANYONE OF THESE THREE WILL DESTROY THE WARRY.

BASIC STORY
^
/ * \
BULL SH*T______ ALCOHOL

[Obviousman]

Have we done bludger yet?

Bludger - lazy, unreliable person (from to bludge, to do nothing)

[Obviousman]

Actually, I don't think anyone could beat this site:

www.koalanet.com.au/australian-slang.html

[PhantomWolf]

(Peter - do people know what Speedos are?)

For those that don't, they are lyca brief (very brief) undies that masquade as a swimming custume (or togs as we call them here)