Ellary is developing a lovely Australian accent, when surrounded by Aussies. I said "Ellary do you still speak my language?" She just smiled, then asked for a vegemite sandwich. The following is merely an incomplete collection of unusual expressions and customs we’ve noticed after 7 months of living in Tasmania.
“ehStraahya” = Australia
Fair Dinkum – on the up and up; trustworthy. “John Howard’s offer to save the Mersey wasn’t fair dinkum.”
“Keen” – you really like a certain activity. Used a lot in the newspapers – e.g. picture subtitle – “Melissa Smith, who is a keen swimmer.”
“Flat out” = “flat chat” = “chockers”= “chocker block”= very busy. The ER is chocker block and we’re flat chat at the moment.
“Jumper” = coat. E.g. “The weather is cool in the winter – you’ll need to wear a jumper.” The kids wear their jumpers to school in the winter.
“How you going?” = How are you doing?
“Mad” = crazy. “She’s mad.”
“Frog and toad” = road. “I think I’ll hit the frog and toad.”
“This arvo” = this afternoon. “Oh, are you working this arvo?”
“Bickies” = short for biscuits – cookies. (There is no such thing here as “cookies.”)
“Scones” = biscuits. Usually served with whipped cream and jelly. YUM.
“Lollies” = candy, except for chocolate which may be shortened to “chockie.”
“Is that the lot, then?” – Cashiers ask this (quickly) when you’ve taken up your articles to purchase – usually all slurred together so you have no idea what they just asked and you just stare at them blankly for a second then nod your head ‘yes.’
That will be ____ dollars, thank you. (Rather than please)
You go up to the register to pay when you’re done eating – even in fancy restaurants.
“Toilet” – NOT bathroom. This actually makes some sense since most houses have one room with a tub and/or shower and sink and a separate room with the toilet and sink.
Aussies who visit the US mention the shock on their hosts face when they ask “where’s the toilet?”
“Tissue” – NOT Kleenex. A 6 year old clarified this for Nikki while she was visiting Ellary’s class.
“Crook” = really sick – could be from medical causes or from an injury. “I hurt my back and was really crook last week.”
“Giddy” = dizzy, weak, lightheaded, etc
“Mmmmm” = yeah (i.e., an affirmative to an answer) = yes. It’s much more drawn out than “mm.” It can also be used to reemphasize something you’ve just said.
This is distinctly unhelpful when combined with “crook” and “giddy” in the ER. E.g.:
Me: “Can you tell me what happened this morning?”
Patient: “I got all giddy, then went really crook – mmmm…yeaahh…”
Me: “Oh, OK, now I have a clear understanding of your problem. Thanks.”
“Whilst.” They REALLY use this a lot. Even the web page for online banking shows a message after you’ve entered your password – “Please wait whilst we connect you with your account.” Similarly, “learnt” replaces learned.
“Tea” = evening meal. Not dinner – “tea.” Can also be used for other meals. Nikki has to pack a “morning tea” for the kids to eat at around 11am whilst in school.
You don’t have a bowel movement; you “open your bowels.” E.g., (in the ER) “When was the last time you opened your bowels?”
A “Ute” is a small pick up truck with a flat bed attachment on the back – very popular, always white. Weird.
You don’t go on vacation; you go on “holidays.” Sounds a lot more festive.
“Sickie” = a sick day. E.g. “So many fish, so few sickies…”
Surgeons are referred to as “Mr.”, not “Dr”
The letter “Z” is pronounced “zed.” Honest. The bank with the name “ANZ” is pronounced “A-N-zed Bank.”
The letter “H” is pronounced “haich.” No shit.
“Partner” = significant other, spouse, girlfriend/boyfriend, whatever. Many people about 50 years old and under use this to describe their significant other or spouse.
Nikki appreciates the neutrality of it.
Cars drive on the left, the steering wheel is on the right. The rules of the road also apply to walking on the sidewalk or in a stairwell – always stay left – people get pretty insistent about this. Similarly, even on the waterways, things are opposite – here, the red markers are on the LEFT when returning from sea. In the US, it’s “red, right, returning from sea…” here it’s “port to port returning to port...” (A little catchier, isn’t it).
“ehStraahya” = Australia
Fair Dinkum – on the up and up; trustworthy. “John Howard’s offer to save the Mersey wasn’t fair dinkum.”
“Keen” – you really like a certain activity. Used a lot in the newspapers – e.g. picture subtitle – “Melissa Smith, who is a keen swimmer.”
“Flat out” = “flat chat” = “chockers”= “chocker block”= very busy. The ER is chocker block and we’re flat chat at the moment.
“Jumper” = coat. E.g. “The weather is cool in the winter – you’ll need to wear a jumper.” The kids wear their jumpers to school in the winter.
“How you going?” = How are you doing?
“Mad” = crazy. “She’s mad.”
“Frog and toad” = road. “I think I’ll hit the frog and toad.”
“This arvo” = this afternoon. “Oh, are you working this arvo?”
“Bickies” = short for biscuits – cookies. (There is no such thing here as “cookies.”)
“Scones” = biscuits. Usually served with whipped cream and jelly. YUM.
“Lollies” = candy, except for chocolate which may be shortened to “chockie.”
“Is that the lot, then?” – Cashiers ask this (quickly) when you’ve taken up your articles to purchase – usually all slurred together so you have no idea what they just asked and you just stare at them blankly for a second then nod your head ‘yes.’
That will be ____ dollars, thank you. (Rather than please)
You go up to the register to pay when you’re done eating – even in fancy restaurants.
“Toilet” – NOT bathroom. This actually makes some sense since most houses have one room with a tub and/or shower and sink and a separate room with the toilet and sink.
Aussies who visit the US mention the shock on their hosts face when they ask “where’s the toilet?”
“Tissue” – NOT Kleenex. A 6 year old clarified this for Nikki while she was visiting Ellary’s class.
“Crook” = really sick – could be from medical causes or from an injury. “I hurt my back and was really crook last week.”
“Giddy” = dizzy, weak, lightheaded, etc
“Mmmmm” = yeah (i.e., an affirmative to an answer) = yes. It’s much more drawn out than “mm.” It can also be used to reemphasize something you’ve just said.
This is distinctly unhelpful when combined with “crook” and “giddy” in the ER. E.g.:
Me: “Can you tell me what happened this morning?”
Patient: “I got all giddy, then went really crook – mmmm…yeaahh…”
Me: “Oh, OK, now I have a clear understanding of your problem. Thanks.”
“Whilst.” They REALLY use this a lot. Even the web page for online banking shows a message after you’ve entered your password – “Please wait whilst we connect you with your account.” Similarly, “learnt” replaces learned.
“Tea” = evening meal. Not dinner – “tea.” Can also be used for other meals. Nikki has to pack a “morning tea” for the kids to eat at around 11am whilst in school.
You don’t have a bowel movement; you “open your bowels.” E.g., (in the ER) “When was the last time you opened your bowels?”
A “Ute” is a small pick up truck with a flat bed attachment on the back – very popular, always white. Weird.
You don’t go on vacation; you go on “holidays.” Sounds a lot more festive.
“Sickie” = a sick day. E.g. “So many fish, so few sickies…”
Surgeons are referred to as “Mr.”, not “Dr”
The letter “Z” is pronounced “zed.” Honest. The bank with the name “ANZ” is pronounced “A-N-zed Bank.”
The letter “H” is pronounced “haich.” No shit.
“Partner” = significant other, spouse, girlfriend/boyfriend, whatever. Many people about 50 years old and under use this to describe their significant other or spouse.
Nikki appreciates the neutrality of it.
Cars drive on the left, the steering wheel is on the right. The rules of the road also apply to walking on the sidewalk or in a stairwell – always stay left – people get pretty insistent about this. Similarly, even on the waterways, things are opposite – here, the red markers are on the LEFT when returning from sea. In the US, it’s “red, right, returning from sea…” here it’s “port to port returning to port...” (A little catchier, isn’t it).
That's all for now. ENJOY.
BNER
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