One of the first things I found rather strange when I moved to the USA was that for some reason people had trouble understanding me. In fact even my man ( who has sort of got used to me over time) sometimes still has trouble understanding what I am saying or meaning even now.
I'm not sure why this is so, except to say that there are definitely words I use that have no comparison in American speak and that Aussies apparently have a very definite accent ( not something I have really noticed before).
The solution?
I thought today I would compile a list of commonly used words that we Aussies use that you probably have never heard of before. That way..if you should come across an Aussie looking for a 'dunny' in a hurry you will be able to help out!
So here we go:
1.Dunny
Now this is a commonly used term to refer to the toilet, restroom or bathroom depending on where you live. If you see an Aussie with a pained look on their face and their legs crossed then you will immediately understand what they want when the ask for directions to the nearest dunny.
2 Arvo
If an Aussie asks you what you are doing 'this arvo' it is a polite enquiry to ask you what your plans are for the afternoon.
3.Stubbie
An Aussie asking for a 'stubbie' is most likely dying of thirst! A stubbie is a glass bottle of beer with a rip top cap. Most popular brand where I come from in Queensland is 'Forex' (true fact and real name)
4.Bonza
If you hear an Aussie voice yell out "Aww Bonza" at the top of their lungs , do not be afraid for your life! Bonza simply means really good or great. So the weather can be Bonza but so can a woman's looks. It all depends on the mood of the moment!
5.Sheila
A sheila is a woman..frequently called a' good looking sheila' if she is appealing to the eye ( I know..very sexist..its a man thing).
6 Barbie
No this is not a child's doll in Australia. Barbie refers to the barbeque..often called the Grill here in the states. Just to muddy the waters though if some is called 'one sausage short of a barbie' it has nothing to do with food but more to do with their mental capacity
7.Pavlova
Pavlova is an Australian fave desert made from egg whites whipped and baked into a meringue that is soft like marshmallow on the inside and crisp on the outside. Once it cools the pav is then covered in sweetened whipped cream and covered in fresh fruit such as kiwi, strawberries and cherries. Yum! ( I miss my pav!)
8.Skivvy
Now this word caused my new American friend to almost fall down laughing when we first went shopping together. I was looking for a long sleeved t-shirt to wear under my winter sweater so I asked the shop assistant if they had a blue 'skivvy'. It appears that skivvies are something to do with underwear here in the states..hence the weird look on the shop assistants face!.
9.Bottler
If something is 'bottler' or 'ripper' it means that they are excellent, almost one of a kind.
10.Carpark
This is the same as a parking lot here in America, and the area you park in between the lines in a car park is called a 'parking bay' or 'car space' in the land of OZ
As you can imagine, there are many many more things we Aussies say that seem to leave the rest of the world a little perplexed..but bear with us, we really are quite easy to understand once you get the gist of the Aussie Lingo!
And with that said I will wish everyone a 'Bonza Bottler Arvo'! Im off to make a giant pav!
Picture credits : All images used in this post come from Pixabay.com