Stop! Grammar time ... kind of.

 

Mellonie, B. (2003). Bruce's Aussie dictionary. Camberwell, Victoria: Penguin, [n.p.].

This resource can be found here. 

What do I mean by kind of'? Well, this book is an English language book; but ... it focusses on Australian sayings and slang. Maybe you are used to hearing it everyday, maybe you don't realise you use the terms yourself; or maybe it has been awhile with all those strong American accents you are used to on YouTube?

Regardless, Australian slang is part of culture and language in Australia today. A lot of it is used as a shorthand version of saying things that may 'take too long' to say. For example:

s'arvo = this afternoon

See how much time you save here? 😀

Anyway, the book is written for a young audience and so doesn't go into a lot of history, but it does come with phrases and words, definitions and examples. Here's a couple you may (and may not) have heard before:

... as = an emphasis of emotion on your circumstance or emotion. For example: busy as ; hot as.

chockers = completely full. For example: that car is chockers, mate!

Digger / digger = Australian soldier; or also another term for 'mate'.

fair dinkum = describes something that is true. For example: Ben's a fair dinkum friend.

knackered = tired.

Nick off = go away.

No worries = Used to put people at ease. 

Ocker = refers to someone who is very Australian in how they speak and act.

Packin' it = someone who is feeling scared. 

Rapt = someone who is happy or excited about something. For example: Miguel was rapt to see his old mate Fergus, since they hadn't seen each other for twelve years.

skerrick = the smallest amount of something. For example: I don't have a skerrick to share.

uey = shortened version of U-turn.

Those are just some examples. But, if you don't know these and have heard the terms before, at least now you will be able to use them. And if you haven't used them before? Bring them back into the conversation. 

And if you like a challenge? Soon you'll be speaking like this:

"Billy had an ace time swimming with Mick. It had been a great arvo swimmin’ at the back of Bourke and no one gettin’ aggro at the other. Sure it had been hot as, but Mick was a true-blue bloke.

After the swim, Billy had to choof off back to the old man to have tucker ‘til he was full as a goog. It was a ripper of a day; the best in yonks!"

Exactly 😀