中年夫婦の３０日間オーストラリア滞在記 Titbits, 2001

COMMON WORDS

Aussie: Short for Australian mate! Pronounced as 'ozzie' not 'oss-see' as many Americans tend to do.
Oz: What every red-blooded Aussie briefly calls home---Australia mate!
Aussie Rules: A fast moving football game played mainly in Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory. The AFL (Australian Football League) grand final in Melbourne each September attracts almost 100,000 spectators. 'You bloody mug umpire!' ... primitive Aussie footy chant.
Rules: Abbreviation for the greatest game on earth (biased Victorian speaking)---Australian Rules football.
Vegemite: Trademark name of a black yeast extract which we Aussies use as a spread on toast and sandwiches. To the uninitiated and gourmands with sophisticated and delicate palates, it looks and tastes a little like bitumen! However, we love it because, according to Kraft, the manufacturers, 'It puts a rose in every cheek.' Vegemite also received international recognition when it became part of the lyrics of the hit song, 'Down Under' by Men at Work.
walkabout: Aboriginal activity dating back to the Dreamtime when rhey would go walkabout for miles in search of food or to attend ceremonial business. Today, if you're daydreaming or have gone away on a trip with no particular destination in mind, you've 'gone walkabout'.
Captain Cook: The English discoverer of Australia back in 1788 who died after being speared in the Sandwiches (Islands that is). It's also rhyming slang for look. So now you know what we mean when we say we're taking a captains at something.
the great Australian adjective: Simply the best bloody word in the bloody world to describe every bloody thing from a bloody good time to a bloody awful time to a bloody good bloke to a bloody mongrel. Got the bloody idea... that's bloody good then! (Quite acceptable profanity in any bloody company really---even with the Archbishop!)
bloke: General term for your average Aussie male. He could be a good bloke, a great bloke, a not a bad sort of bloke, or in my missus' case, a funny lookin' bloke.
bloody: Popularly known as the 'great Australian adjective', it can be used to express approval or disapproval. 'It's a bloody beautiful day' or 'It's a bloody awful day'---whichever bloody way you look at it, it's a bloody useful word!
ay?: Literally it means 'I beg your pardon?'
bye bye: Goodbye!
bye byes: What we do when we go to bed---we go to bye byes---pathetic isn't it.
g'day: Probably the most famous of all Australian phrases. It is our way of saying 'Hi there', although some tourists seem to think it can be a term of farewell---wrong!
no worries: An expression used to instill confidence. Often used by politicians, accountants and tradesman.
on ya: Abbreviation of the term good on you---or well done!.
oo-roo: A very Aussie way of saying goodbye.
ta: Thank you! (You're welcome.)
mate: Generally used by the male of the species when addressing a fellow male. U.S. equivalent---pal. 'Owyergoin mate, orright?'
fair enough: General expression indicating accord or agreement---OK? Fair enough!
ankle biter: A young child.
arvo: Abbreviation for afternoon---'See youse this arvo!'
cuppa: Abbreviation for 'cup of tea'. Favourite thing to do after some hard work or as a social activity. Let's sit down and have a cuppa...Australia's favourite panacea.
sheila: Woman or girl---we've got the grousest sheilas in the world here in Australia.
chip: Aussie equivalent of the American French fry.
fair dinkum: If anyone or anything is fair dinkum you bet your life it's totally genuine. Fair dinkum!
O.S.: Yet another example of the great Aussies penchant for abbreviation. One never 'travels overseas'---ya go O.S. mate! To places like K.L. (Kuala Lumpur), F-oneJ-one (Fiji), Bangers (Bangkok), Singers (Singapore) and not forgetting of course F.N.Q.! It's OK, it merely means Far North Queensland.

NAME OF PLACE

Down Under: If a bloke comes up to you and tells you he's very big Down Under, girls, don't slap his face. He's actually telling you he's a very important Aussie! Down Under is what the rest of the world call Australia.
the Big Island: Nothing to do with Hawaii---it's what Tasmanians call Australia.
Mainlanders: What the good folk of Tasmania call us felloe Aussies who live on the Big Island (Australia).
the Centre: What we in Australia refer to as the middle of Australia---situated somewhere in the Northern Territory and sometimes called either the Dead Heart (due to its isolation) or the Red Centre (due to the colour of the soil).
the outback: The desolate heart of Australia---or, any other remote, uninhabitable, dry, inhospitable region (but enough about my wife's side of the bed!). God, I hope she never reads this far, otherwise I'm cactus.
Woop Woop: A non-existent part of Australia used to describe any remote location. 'He lives a long way away---out the back of Woop Woop somewhere.'
the harbour city: The beautiful harbour-surrounded city of Sydney.
the Rock: Arguably, Australia's best known landmark and the largest monolith in the world---Ayers Rock. Situated in the Northern Territory not far from Alice Springs, the Aboriginal name for it is Uluru. (Plurry big yonnie!)
the ekka: Located in Queensland, the Brisbane Exhibition Grounds (ekka---short for exhibition of course).
the Gabba: Affectionate term for one of the world's most magnificent sporting arenas that can hold up to 40,000 spectators (well I would like this book to sell well all over Australia)---the Queensland Cricket Association oval. Called the Gabba due to its location in the suburb of Woolloongabba.
the 'G': Affectionate term for one of the world's most magnificent sporting arenas that can hold up to 100,000 spectators---the Melbourne Cricket Ground or M.C.G. (Not hard to tell I'm a proud Melburnian eh!)

ANIMAL, BIRD......

Great White Shark: Fairly prevalent around our beaches and of course, the nickname of Australian golfing legend, Greg Norman. Greg and I have a lot in common---we're both Aussies, we've both got blond hair and we both own a set of golf clubs!
Akubra: Our very distinctive broad-brimmed Australian bush hat made from rabbit fur. Worn in the main by the man-on-the-land, Greg Norman and occasionally by wankers in the city!
kangaroo: The beloved symbol of Australia seen on the tail fins of all our Qantas aircraft. We also put them on our coins. We shoot them, use them as pet food, make soup out of their tails and their paws make very natty little bottle openers. Yep, there can't be a more useful national symbol than the old kanga mate!
roo: Abbreviation of kangaroo.
roo bar: No, not a kangaroo with an erection or where they drink...it's the metal frame fitted to the front of your car to fend off our furry friends when driving through the bush or the outback..
Kiwi: A New Zealander---sometimes mistaken for an Aussie (as Canadians are for Americans). Kiwis, however, are easily distinguished for their unusual use of vowels. E.g. Six become 'sux', sex become 'six' and flat become 'flet'. Therefore, if you get an invitation from a Kiwi to be at there 'flet at sux for a bit of six and fush and chups afterwards', it sound like a reasonable sort of proposition! By the way, a kiwi is also a nocturnal New Zealand native bird.
wombat: Description of male Casanova. So called because, like the wombat, he eats, roots shoots and leaves.
cockatoo: As well as being a native Australian parrot, it is also the bloke who keeps watch for the police at an illegal gambling venue. Probably so named as domesticated cockatoos tend to screech warnings of impending visitations.

WALTZING MATILDA

Matilda: As featured in the world famous Banjo Peterson song, 'Waltzing Matilda'; it is the bedroll carried by nomadic bushmen (or swaggies) who roamed (waltzed) around Australia looking for work.
Waltzing Matilda: The name of our unofficial national anthem. Waltzing your Matilda comes from the early days when a swaggie (bushman) would spend his days wandering (waltzing) the countryside with all his worldly possessions wrapped in a blanket (Matilda).
swag: What wandering bushmen (swaggies) carry all their belongings in. A rolled-up blanket.
tucker: Food.
tuckerbag: A swaggie's food bag.

DRINKING

aristotle: Rhyming slang for bottle---as one great drinker once said, 'I'd rather have a free bottle in front of me than a prefrontal lobotomy!'
dead marine: An empty beer bottle or can.
eighteen: An eighteen gallon keg of beer generally found in a pub's cellar but occasionally found at a serious party or barbeque. If you only need enough to keep you and your mate going for a couple of hours---order niner.
niner: A nine gallon keg of beer---very popular at big Aussie barbeques.
drinking with the files: Drinking alone. Being unsociable.
full: Drunk. 'Harry got home full at way past midnight.'
liquid amber: Quite obviously---beer.
sherbet: In Australia, when we say we're going out for a couple of sherbets---we are actually going out for a couple of beers.
six o'clock swill: Old timers will remind you of the days when pubs used to close at 6 am---causing a mad rush (swill) for drinks just before closing. These days, it's almost a 25 hour swill (that's if you drink for the hour it takes you get home!).
school: A group of mates taking turns to buy drinks in a pub is known as a 'school'.

SMOKING

bum: In America, he's a vagrant. It's also a verb associated with cadging a cigarette or a dollar from someone. In Australia, it's something we sit on!
how ya holding?: An enquiry as to your current financial state. Generally followed up by a request to borrow a small amount. Can also be used to cadge a cigarette.
the makings: Very simply---tobacco and cigarette papers. For those of you who like to roll your own. (See also rollies.)
smoko: Now that smoking has been banned in most buildings, workers can be seen everywhere these days outside on the pavement puffing away during their smoko.
tailor-mades: A cigarette that comes in a packet that you don't have to roll yourself.

OTHERS

milk bar: The distinctly Australian equivalent of the American drug store where you can buy everything from a litre of milk, to a loaf of bread, to a packet of fags.
nineteenth hole: The bar at your golf club---I always score at that one!
thunder box: An outside or inside lavatory...the name says it all!
pissing it up against the wall: Wasting all your money on drinking.
root: In America, you sit in the grandstand and root for your team. If you did the same thing in Australia, you'd probably get arrested because having a root in Australia means having sexual intercourse. It is not only a verb (doing word) but can also be used as a noun. 'Harry's girlfriend turned out to be a top root!' (Sorry ladies, just being expansive!)
settler's clock: So called because it starts laughing just before dark, the kookaburra (laughing jackass).
sundowner: Swaggie (tramp) who generally arrives at your homestead at sundown. Just a little too late to do any work but just in time for a meal. I've got a few mates in the city who work this scam just as well!

'IE' again

alkie: Abbreviation for alcoholic. As Dean Martin once said, 'if you drink, don't drive---don't even putt!'
bikkie: Juvenile abbreviation of biscuit. Remember kids, 'thank you' is something you say to make Mum let go of it!
bushie: Anyone from out of town who hails from a rural area.
chalkie: Nickname for a teacher. I remember my old geography teacher asking me what the capital of Alaska was. I told him 'A'!
chewie: Abbreviation of chewing gum.
chippie: What we call carpenters due to the fact they spend most of their day chipping away at bits of wood.
Chrissie: Sorry, not an abbreviation of Christine but the ultimate slang obscenity for Christmas. People using it to describe dinner, gifts or holidays (in my humble but psychotic opinion) should be electrocuted!
chromies: Chrome wheels---of course!
ciggie: Very good! A cigarette.
coldie: A blizzardly cold can of beer---you can't beat knocking back a couple of coldies in front of the old telly!
telly: Abbreviation (of course) for television. We were watching telly last night and my wife said 'God this is boring!' I said, 'If you think this is boring, wait 'til I turn it on!'
conchie: Abbreviation for conscientious person. I spent most of my school says being un-conchie...or should that be unconscious!
connie: Generally, referring to both male and female tram and/or bus conductors. Due to government austerity measures, they are gradually becoming an endangered species in most states of Australia.
dunny: Outdoor toilet generally located at the 'bottom' of your garden. These days used as general term for any toilet.
fattie: Slang term for $1,000.
fatties: Very wide car tyres.
footie: Abbreviation of football. (The 'T' should always be sounded as a 'D' in Ozspeak!)
greenie: An environmentalist---generally found chained to trees in rainforests singing 'We shall overcome'.
gummies: Slang for gumboots, long rubber boots generally worn by farmers or me washing the car.
hostie: Abbreviation of air hostess. These days, with the introduction of chaps into the profession they prefer to be called flight attendants.
hottie: Abbreviation of hot water bottle.
hubbie: Wot else? Abbreviation for husband.
kindy: Abbreviation for Kindergarten---my dad used to walk me there every day...actually he was in the same class as me!
leftie: Anyone with socialist or communist leanings.
lippie: Lipstick---of course.
rollie: A hand-made cigarette---a 'roll your own'.
mozzie: Abbreviation for the legendary Aussie mosquito. So big in some parts, they have been known to carry black box flight recorders---true!
nappies: What our American friends call diapers. I know a 20-year-old girl who just married in 85-year old bloke---which is great. When they eventually have a baby, the father can share the same nappy service at the kid!
the oldies: Your parents (or parents-in-law). 'We're visiting the oldies this weekend.'
pollie: A politician. Our local member is amazing, when there's nothing left to say---he's still saying it!
Pom/Pommie: Affectionate Aussie term for person of British extraction. We think the term originated from P.O.M.E. (Prisoner of Mother England), from the convict era and later shortened to POM.
possie: It's essential you get a good one at the footy so as not to miss any of the action. Abbreviation of position.
prezzies: Gifts---corruption of 'presents'.
rellie: Abbreviation of relative---as in aunt, uncle etc. Sometimes called rello.
Sallie: Any member of the Salvation Army---also referred to as Salvos. Little known fact---there has been a Salvation Navy.
sickie: A day taken off work due to illness (imagined or otherwise). Sickies taken either on a Monday or Friday are generally regarded with great suspicion.
subbie: Term often used in the building trade for a sub-contractor.
sunnies: Sunglasses.
tinnie: A blizzardly cold can of beer. One of the great Australian rituals---crackin' a tinnie with a mate! Very blokey indeed!
towie: A tow truck operator. Because it's such a competitive vocation, the best towie is a toey towie!
trammie: Native only to Melbourne, Victoria---a tram driver. (The conductors are called connies.)
trannie: Abbreviation of transistor radio.
umpie: In Aussie Rules football---the umpire.
vegies: Vegetables.
wellies: An English expression we also use in Oz for Wellington boots. We tend more to call them gumboots or gummies.
yabbie: Australian crab-like crustacean found mainly in freshwater creeks and dams. Great eating!
yachtie: A yachtsman, of course!

第６話 Aussie Slang in Aussie English