English and English – Part 1: Australian English

Although, the main purpose of my stay abroad is studying molecular genetics and related topics in biological sciences, I have definitely learnt much more than that. For example, I got used to speak English more often than I speak my own native language. I would like to dedicate this article on my blog to observation that there is more than one “English” across different countries, places and cultures.

I have started learning English as a school kid in the Czech Republic. Later I moved to English speaking Scotland for my first and second undergraduate year, then I lived for a year in Australia and now I am back in Scotland for my final undergrad year. I have also met English speaking people from various other places such us USA, Singapore, Canada or Hong Kong. After these experiences, I have to confirm that there really is English and English (and English and English and so on). In other words, although English is considered one language, it varies and you can often tell people from different paces apart based on how they speak and what vocabulary they use. I would like to focus on the two countries I know the best because I lived or live there. As you might have already guessed, I am talking about Australia and Scotland. In this first part of my English and English blog I will present you some basics of Australian (Aussie) English.

When I moved to Australia for my university exchange year, I was not expecting any major issues or differences in language when compared to the UK. In the majority of cases my expectation was correct. As a non-native English speaker, I can appreciate that Australians are usually easy to understand. At least in South Australia, where I lived, the accent sounds relatively close to British accent English. Nevertheless, you can be sometimes surprise by a unique local expression. Some of them I have never heard before and quite a few times I had to ask for explanation. With help of some of my Australian friends I collected and put together some Australian expressions that are commonly used and can be very different from what you have been used to. Try yourself and count how many you knew or did not know before. Would you understand all of them?

Dictionary: English to English

Ace! = Excellent! Very good!
Arvo = Afternoon
Barbie = Barbeque
Barrack = To cheer on (sport team etc.)
Bathers= Swimming clothes
Beaut = Great, fantastic
Bestiest = Best friends
Bloody oath = That is certainly true
Bloke = Man
Bizzo = Business
Bogan = A person with a working class background, or whose speech, clothing, attitude and behaviour exemplify a proud working class mentality
Bottle O = Liquor shop
Brekkie = Breakfast
BYO = Bring Your Own, Unlicensed restaurant where you can bring your own alcohol
Cactus = Dead, not functioning
Chook = Chicken
Chrissy = Christmas
Click = Kilometre
Digger = A soldier
Docket = Receipt
Drongo = Stupid person
Dunny = Toilet
Esky = Insulated container (usually to keep beer cold)
Fair dinkum = True, genuine
Fair go = A chance
Footy = Football
Fruitloop = A fool
Folks = Parents
G’day = Hello
Gobsmacked = Surprised, astounded
Grog = Liquor
Heaps = A lot of something
Knockback = Refuse
Lollies = Sweets, candies
Maccas = McDonalds
Mates rates = Cheaper than usual between friends
Mob = A group of people
Moolah = Money
Mozzie = Mosquito
Nut out = Work out
Pash = Kiss
Postie = Mailman
Quid = Money
Reckon? = You think?
Ripper = Fantastic, great
Roo = Kangaroo
Servo = Petrol station
Sheila = Woman
Shonky = Not good
Slab = Carton of 24 beers
Spewin’ = Very angry
Snag = A sausage
Spit the dummy = get upset
Stickybeak = Noisy person
Sunnies = Sunglasses
Tall poppy = Successful person