If you’re heading to Australia for the first time, you’ll be delighted and surprised at some of the turns of phrase and slang terms used. Although essentially the same language as the Old World, Australian English has evolved its very own slang vocabulary, recognized across the world as something distinctly Australian. Many of the words and phrases were brought into the global lexicon via the golden era of Australian soap operas in the 80s and 90s. And they all tell us something about the history of this special country.
Claimed for the British crown in the 18th Century, eastern Australia was used by the empire primarily as a penal colony for Irish and British convicts, a practice that went on for 80 years, between 1788-1868. Quite a few Aussie slang words hail from this period, and betray their British origins. ‘Creek’, for example, is on old English word meaning a stream or small river. It has fallen out of use in the UK, and now seems a particularly Australian term. Similarly, ‘paddock’ – still used in England to denote a livestock enclosure – simply means any field in Australia. ‘Bush’ and ‘scrub’ refer to what Brits would call the countryside. And of course ‘mate’ is widely used by Antipodeans, passed down and still used by their English cousins, but never in other English-speaking countries like the US or Scotland.
The origins of some Aussie phrases are a lot less obvious. ‘Fair dinkum’ is used to mean ‘authentic’ or ‘fair enough’, but its history is disputed. Some people believe that ‘dinkum’ originated during the Australian goldrush of the 1850s, and is derived from ‘ding kam’, a Cantonese expression meaning ‘top gold’. Others cite a redundant English dialect from the East Midlands, where the word meant simply ‘hard work’. Interestingly, since the phrase gained notoriety by being used in Neighbours, its usage is now more a self-parody than an authentic way of speaking – so be sure to say it with a smirk!
Another well-worn Aussie word is ‘sheila’, the somewhat patronizing word for ‘woman’. It evolved in this very macho culture, probably from the Irish name ‘Sile’. ‘Bludger’, a great word to trip off the tongue, denotes a lazy person, and comes from the now-defunct British slang-term for ‘pimp’.
There y’go mate. Just a few Aussie words to help you blend in. To get yourself down under for a real taste of the Oz language, visit DialAFlight and fly to Australia for less than you might expect.
The word "creek" is still very much in use in America.
Joyce
http://joycelansky.blogspot.com
Posted by: Joyce | 22 October 2011 at 10:12
Very informative article 'mate' Best regards from the 'Old Country'
Posted by: Caravanning Couple | 04 November 2011 at 14:24