The majority of the Western world has consistencies that make cultural adjustment pretty simple. For example, a McDonald’s is a McDonald’s is a McDonald’s, whether you are in Vancouver or London. However, there is one aspect of the English-speaking Western world that does not transcend cultural differences all too easily: the English language itself. So here in the land down under, I am constantly noticing how Microsoft Word keeps auto-changing my spelling of ‘flavor’ to ‘flavour’ (or altogether leaving it with a squiggly red line), how everyone greets me with what sounds like nonsensical sentences and how verbose explanations always seem to follow my saying simple everyday phrases.
So for those who are headed out here, I am noting the absolutely “necessary” local lingo that I have picked up over the days.
- “How you going?”- SUP?
- "Ta"- can be used either as a "thank you" or a "you're welcome"... fascinating. Definitely sounds weird to the untrained ear.
- "reckon"- "I reckon...", "you reckon...?" etc.
- "Brekky"- breakfast
- "Not my bowl of rice"- not my cup of tea
- "Chook"- chicken
- "Coldie"- beer
- "Good onya"- good for you
- "Hooroo"- goodbye
Slang | Translation | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| apple sauce | horse | She's a great little apple sauce. |
| steak and kidney | Sydney | We are off to steak and kidney! |
| Johnny Horner | corner | He's just gone round the Johnney Horner. |
| dead horse | tomato sauce | What this needs is a bit of dead horse. |
| brave and bold | cold | It's really brave and bold today. |
| Johnny Raper | paper | Nip down to the newsagent and get a Johnny Raper. |
| Dalai Lamas | dramas | Hey, no Dalai Lamas |
| bag of fruit | suit | All dressed up in your best bag of fruit. |
| blood blister | sister | How's your little blood blister? |
| Captain Cook | look | Well, take a Captain Cook. |
| curry and rice | price | What's the curry and rice? |
| dodge and shirk | work | I'm off to dodge and shirk. |
| dog and bone | phone | Can you get that dog and bone? |
| forgive & forget | cigarette | What I wouldn't give for a forgive and forget. |
| Fred Astair | lair (a show off) | He's a real Fred Astair. |
| frog and toad | road | Goodbye, must hit the frog and toad. |
| Germain Greer | beer | A Germain Greer would really hit the spot. |
| grim and gory | story | What a great grim and gory. |
| honky tonk | plonk (cheap wine) | Get a couple of bottles of honky tonk. |
| Jimmy Dancer | cancer | Did you hear that Harry's got the Jimmy Dancer? |
| Joe Blake | snake | Watch out for the Joe Blakes. |
| kitchen sink | drink | I could really do with a kitchen sink. |
| laughs & smiles | piles | It's not funny. I've got the laughs and smiles. |
| lemon squash | wash | I'd better give the car a bit of a lemon squash. |
| mud pies | eyes | She has beautiful mud pies. |
| Mutt and Jeff | deaf | What's wrong with you? Are you Mutt and Jeff? |
| nails and screws | news | Got any nails and screws? |
| near and far | bar | Meet you at the near and far at 6. |
| optic nerve | perv (pervert) | He's definitely an optic nerve. |
| Pat Malone | alone | I'm all on my Pat Malone. |
| Noah's ark | shark | Look out for the Noah's arks at Bondi |
| plates of meat | feet | Oh, my aching plates of meat! |
| tit for tat (titfer) | hat | I think you should wear your titfer. |
| pig's arse | glass | Want a pig's arse? |
| rock and lurch | church | See you at the rock and lurch on Sunday. |
| billy/tin lids | kids | How many billy lids you got? |
| septic tank | yank | That Bill Clinton, he's a septic tank. |
| smash and grab | cab | Would you call for a smash and grab? |
| tea leaf | thief | You bl**** tea leaf! |
| trouble and strife | wife | How's the trouble and strife these days? |
| young and frisky | whisky | I'll have a young and frisky. |
| Werris Creek | leak | I need to go for a Werris Creek |
| Bruce Reed | feed | I think I'll have a bit of a Bruce Reed |
| dog's eye | meat pie | That was a great dog's eye! |
| Zane Grey | pay | Can't buy much with the old Zane Grey these days. |
| Gregory Peck | cheque | I sent you the Gregory Peck! |
| butcher's hook | look | Take a butcher's! |
| Oxford scholar | dollar | It's just an Oxford scholar |
| Al Capone | phone | Will you get that Al capone for me? |
| dog's eye and dead horse | pie and sauce | I'll have a dog's eye and dead horse. |
| Peter Mertens | curtains | How are the Poms looking Shirl? It's Peter Mertens for em luv! (we are talking cricket!) |
| John Dory | story | What's the John Dory? |
| china plate | mate | How's me old china? |
| trick cyclist | psychiatrist | Have to go. Got an appointment with the trcik cyclist. |
| rubbidy dub | pub | I'm meeting them down at the rubbidy. |
| cherry plum | mum | I love my cherry plum |
| cheese and kisses | missus | How's the cheese and kisses? |
| Malcolm Blight | light | I really need a Malcolm Blight for my ciggy |
| on the beak | reek (stink) | You're on the beak a bit mate |
| Mars bar | car | I think I'll get a new Mars bar |
| Bugs Bunny | money | Got any Bugs Bunny? |
| wooden pegs | legs | She had a great pair of wooden pegs |
| canoes | shoes | New canoes? |
| hollow log | dog | Is the hollow log back from the vet yet? |
| ballarat | hat | Nice ballarat! |
| boat race | face | She has nice legs, shame about the boat race |
| Barry Crocker | shocker | Well! That was a real Barry Crocker.
|
| Ruben Wiki | Sickie | I not working today, I'm having a Ruben Wiki |
| Paul Keating | meeting | Let's have a Paul Keating this arvo |
| Rod Laver | favour | Do us a rod Laver will you mate? |
| Gary Abblett | tablet | I'm feeling crook, might have to take a Gary Abblett |
| Victor Trumper | jumper | Its bit cold, think I'll wear my Victor Trumper |
| Old Ned | bed | Think I'll be off to Old Ned |
| Rocky Ted | head | Be careful, don't bump your Rocky Ted |
| Piccadilly | chilly | It's really Piccadilly today |
| Rock 'n' Roll | dole | Are you getting the rock 'n' roll |
| Onkaparingas | fingers | Why don't yopu use your Onkaparingas |
| Dog and bone | phone | That'll be the dog and bone Mabel |
| Pat Malone | alone | All on her Pat Malone |
| Near and far | bar | I'm off to the near and far |
| Wally Grout | shout | Your Wally Grout |
| Norman von Nida | spider | Look out! It's a Norman von Nida |
| Monkey's arses | glasses | Anyone seen my monkeys |
| Reg Grundies | undies | Don't forget to wear your clean Reg Grundies |
| Apples & pears | stairs | Not more apples and pears! |
| Sky rocket | | Put THAT in your sky rocket |
| Eau de cologne | phone | Get off that eau de cologne |
| Warwick Farms | underarms | Bit of deodorant for the Warwick Farms |
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