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What slang words or phrases are unique to Australia?

by Tamica (follow)
Fun (277)      Australia (31)      Language (23)     
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What slang words or phrases are unique to Australia? I was speaking to someone from America a few days ago and they found it interesting that I said "I reckon" to mean "I think". I didn't realise only Australians use this phrase. What other slang words or phrases are used here (obviously everyone knows g'day)?

#Australia
#Fun
#Language
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Top Answers
There're hundreds!

'A kangaroo short in the top paddock'
'Built like a brick dunny'
'Cobber'
'Good as gold'
'Beyond the Black Stump'
'Back o' Bourke'
'Flat out like a lizard drinking'
'A sandwich short of a picnic'
'Mad as a cut snake'
'Back along the Track'
'Galah'
'Drongo'
'As mad as a two-bob watch'
'Taking coals to Newcastle'
'Don't get ya knickers in a twist'
'That's a Furphy'
'Mine's still running' (slow racehorse!)
Mortein' TV advert 'Louie da Fly'
'When you're on a good thing, stick to it' (old Mortein advert),
AND, of course........

'Tell 'im he's dreamin'................

Drongo. LOL. I love that one.
by Vee
Sheila leaps to mind!
And I reckon Australians aren't the only ones to use "I reckon" but Brits do too :)
Verity is right, we Brits use 'I reckon' too, but it is considered quite an archaic or formal way of speaking these days.

A word that used phase me when I read something by an Australian writer is 'thongs'. To you they mean sandals, but to use it means knickers that go up up your backside!

There is also the word bogan, which I had never encountered until I went to an Australian Bogan Bingo night.
''Struth''

Which is just a word to exclaim surprize.
That's the one that immediately came to mind for me too.
by Vee
The photograph should read 'Strine'!
by donjo
"You little ripper!"
"No worries"

One I like, that my father in law says, related to breastfeeding: [she's] on a good paddock.


and "all that meat and no potatoes"
by fran.
From a personal perspective, I can't stand slang and think it's a lazy way of speaking, however I do understand the uniqueness that is generated in identifying Australian nationalism. My father ALWAYS used this turn of phrase which I abhorred growing up ... SHE'LL BE RIGHT MATE.
She'll be right mate ----just love it. Very Australian and is a good way of summing up the Australian attitudeā€¦.everything will be alright because Australian's have a way of making exactly that happen. Not a whine or a complaintā€¦just get on with it.
by fran.
My very English father always used that phrase so I don't identify it as Aussie particularly but I do remember it drove my mother NUTS! (and he used to grin and say it to nark her)
by Rice
My dad was born in Udine which is on the Austrian/Slovenian/Italian border but he obviously picked up the phrase in Australia and just loved using it. Just per your mum, it irritated not just me but the whole family AND I'm sure he kept saying the phrase to annoy us even more ... or "stir the pot" as he would love to state !
How you going? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGHOwVMPlR4
by Vee
LOL, loved the video Vee !
by BK
:D I'm glared I shared it then.
by Vee
I like this question :D Australian accent is so different compared to America. 'I reckon' the answers above covered almost everything !
by BK
Unique to Australia, POMMIE BASTARD,
A Sheila (woman), AVO (Afternoon),
Yes no yes (contradictory speech)

regards
Farley
Aaaah, 'afternoon' is 'aRvo'.
'Avo' is short for an 'Avocado'.......Cheers!
by donjo
My mum always used 'Up a wattle' and also 'between you, me and the gatepost'.
Too easy mate
What I can think of:

Fair dinkum
G'day mate
Chuck a snag on the barbie
"You Beauty" and "You're a Legend" are the two that come to mind.

Strike me pink!!!
by Rice
Bonza, you beut, struth, old duck, old boy, what a shamble,you old galah, don't get ya knickers on a twist, flam'n galah, and the list goes on.
OMG, too many to list! But gotta say -
'No worries/No wucken furries/No wuckers
'Nuken Futs'
'Useless as tits on a bull'
'Built like a brick shithouse'
'Running around like a blue-ass fly'
'Up shit-creek without a paddle'
'Wouldn't know his ass from his elbow'
The more I think about it, the more I remember - I could be here all night!

Useless as a hip pocket in a pair of underpants
by fran.
Hoo roo kangaroo
In a while crocodile.
He's as mad as a two bob watch
He was behind the door when brains were given out
You'll be late for your own funeral
So many more as I try to recall my grandmother's words of wisdom.
Call me anything you like, but never late for dinner
by fran.
So right Fran. I know there are many more but sometimes can't think on the spot.
by helga
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