EDIT: To see what I’ve added, hit ctrl+F and search “Added”. You can also look them up by the dates I’ve added words. So far, I’ve added only words on April 5, 2012.
While I was in Australia, I realized that I had no idea what anyone was saying. There’s a huge difference between US English and Australian English, and while I was in the UK for a few weeks last year, I had very little trouble understanding the vocabulary there. They have a habit of shortening names and words then adding random vowels to the end — Steven is Steve-O, Mark Pace is Pacey, Kevin is Kev-o… Yes. It’s quite interesting.
I’ll be updating this as I find more words that confuse me, but here’s what I have so far:
4 wheel drive – An SUV
AJ – Army jerk
Acca Dacca – Slang for AC/DC
Affluence of Inkahol – How alcohol affects thinking
Aggers/aggro – Aggressive
Alko – alcoholic
Ankle biter – Young child
Arvo – Afternoon
Aye – Sometimes a question, also the first letter of the alphabet. No idea why it’s used so frequently but it’s a nice sound, so whatever.
Bloody – Mostly used for emphasis.
Bogan – White trash people who wear too many singlets, are unintelligible, and don’t bathe. They also tend to smell bad, drink too much, and are just… not the classiest people. Their shorts are too short.
Bonnet – The hood of a car
Boot – The trunk of a car
BYO – Bring your own (alcohol). There were several restaurants that were BYO. It’s an odd concept for me.
Centrelink – A government-run social services organization. Includes youth allowance.
Choice as – Awesome. It can also be “Sweet as” or a few other adjectives as. It’s a neverending sentence of goodness.
Click – Kilometer
Coldie – A beer
Coppers – Police
Dag – A stupid or silly person (usually used affectionately)
Divvy van – Bretho bus (Random DUI testing stops)
Dole – Unemployment payments
Doona – A comforter/duvet
Doughies – A doughnut, but not the food. The thing you do in your car on gravel.
Duffer – A stupid or silly person (usually used affectionately)
Esky – A cooler, like for beer or soda.
Fads – Disgusting cigarette-looking candies that used to be called “fags”.
Fair dinkum – “Oh, yeah?”/”Really?”/”Are you being serious?”
Fairy floss – cotton candy
Flake – Some types of fish or sharks
Flat – If your phone is dead, it’s flat.
Footy – Australian football/AFL. I still have no idea what goes on in this sport. It’s apparently un-Australian to not like it. Oops.
Gasbag – Someone who talks too much
Get it in ya – Just do it, or just take it. Like with horrible milkshakes.
Grog – alcohol
Grouse – Very good
Jumper – A hoodie/sweatshirt. Not a dress. Unless it’s Bryce’s jumper on me.
Keen – interested in. Like “I’m keen to play that game”
Lemonade – Not fresh squeezed. Lemonade in Australia is like Sprite.
Lollies – Candies
Loo – Bathroom
Maccas – McDonalds.
Manchester – linens
Mates/cunts – Friends
Meat pies – Kind of like chicken pot pies, but filled with beef, and beef, and more beef. Or curry, or veggies… But I’ve only had them with beef.
Milkbar – A small store, like an independently run, miniature 7 Eleven, mostly for essential items.
Mozzies – mosquitoes
Nrrrr – “No.” Like in this video.
Op shop – Secondhand store
Petrol – Gasoline
Pissed – Drunk.
Pokies – Poker machines
Pom – British person
Pot – A glass
Pram – A stroller
Pub – A hotel. The one Bryce and I go to somewhat frequently has a restaurant in it, with a little gambling area.
Ripper – Something good. This is Bryce’s definition:
Runners – Sneakers
Sausage rolls – Hot pocket shaped pastries filled with spam-ish sausage. Flaky outside, surprisingly delicious.
Schooner – A big glass
Servo – A gas station
Sheila – a girl
Spider – Sprite or coke with ice cream
Stickybeak – To pay too much attention to someone else’s business. Think… Petunia Dursley.
Stuffed – Broken
Stupid – Silly. Not unintelligent.
Swag – Something used for camping, like a roll-up mattress thing.
Ta – Thank you (people kept saying this to me at work and I had no idea what it was for a month or two <.<) (added April 5, 2012)
Take away – Carry out/take out. Instead of “Is that for here or to go?” it’s “Is that for here or take away?”
Trainers – Kind of like sneakers, too
Ute – A strange hybrid vehicle — the front of a sedan with a lowered truck bed attached to the back of it. They’re freaking hideous.
Walkabout – Just going for a walk to wander
Whilst – I know people use this in the US, too, but no one says “while” in Australia. Whilst is everywhere.
Whinge – whine
Wog – People who have migrated from the Mediterranean. It can apparently be offensive. I’m not going to use it, so whether or not it’s offensive doesn’t affect me. (Added April 5, 2012)
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