Miss Shonah

A little lighthearted post giving you some funny Australian terminology…

You can hear these words in Australia, however not as often as you might think!  So don’t be concerned when reading this list!

Have fun and REMEMBER – if you are planning to go to Australia (or any other English speaking nation) and want some help, book in your Free Meet Your Teacher

A

Arvo : afternoon
Avos : avocados

B

Back of Bourke : a very long way away
Barbie : barbecue (noun)
Bathers : swimming costume
Beaut, beauty : great, fantastic
Big Smoke : a big city, especially Sydney or Melbourne
Bikkie : biscuit – also “it cost big bikkies” – it was expensive
B.Y.O : Bring Your Own – referring to alcohol to be brought to a dinner, party or gathering

C

Cactus : dead, not functioning (“this bloody washing machine is cactus”)
Chewie : chewing gum
Chokkie : chocolate
Chrissie : Christmas
Chuck a sickie : take the day off sick from work when you’re perfectly healthy
Click : kilometre – “it’s 10 clicks away”
Comfy: comfortable
Cozzie : swimming costume
Cranky : in a bad mood, angry

D

Dag : a funny person, nerd, goof
Daks : trousers
Damper : bread made from flour and water
Deadset : true, the truth
Dinky-di : the real thing, genuine
Doco : documentary
Down Under : Australia and New Zealand
Dummy, spit the : get very upset at something
Dunny : outside lavatory

E

Esky : large insulated food/drink container for picnics, barbecues etc.
Exy : expensive

F

Fair dinkum : true, genuine
Fair go : a chance – “give a bloke a fair go”
Fairy floss : candy floss, cotton candy
Fruit loop :someone silly

G

G’Day : Hello!
Galah : fool, silly person. Named after the bird of the same name because of its antics and the noise it makes.
Garbo, garbologist : municipal garbage collector
Gobsmacked : surprised, astounded
Going off : used of a night spot or party that is a lot of fun – “the place was really going off”
Good onya : good for you, well done

H

Heaps : a lot, e.g. “thanks heaps”, “(s)he earned heaps of money” etc.
Holy dooley! : an exclamation of surprise = “Good heavens!”, “My goodness!” “Good grief!” or similar
Hooroo : goodbye

I

Icy pole, ice block : popsicle, lollypop

J

Joey : baby kangaroo
Journo : journalist
Jug : electric kettle

K

Kindie : kindergarten
Knock : to criticise
Knock back : refusal (noun)

L

Larrikin : a bloke who is always enjoying himself, harmless prankster
Lippy : lipstick
Lollies : sweets, candy
Lucky Country, The : Australia, where else?

M

Maccas (pron. “mackers”) : McDonald’s – the hamburger place
Mate : buddy, friend
Milk bar : corner shop that sells takeaway food
Milko : milkman
Mozzie : mosquito

N

Nipper : young surf lifesaver
No drama : same as ‘no worries’
No worries! : Expression of forgiveness or reassurance – No problem; forget about it; I can do it; Yes, I’ll do it.

O

O.S. : overseas – “she’s gone O.S. to teach”!
Ocker : an unsophisticated person
Oldies : parents – “I’ll have to ask my oldies”
Op shop : opportunity shop, thrift store, place where second hand goods are sold.
Oz : Australia!

P

Pash : a long passionate kiss
Pav : Pavlova – a rich, creamy Australian dessert
Piker : Someone who doesn’t want to fit in with others socially, leaves parties early
Plate, bring a : Instruction on party or BBQ invitation to bring your own food. It doesn’t mean they’re short of crockery!
Polly : politician
Postie : postman, mailman
Pozzy : position – get a good pozzy at the football stadium
Prezzy : present, gift

Q

Quid, make a : earn a living – “What do you do to make a quid”?

R

Rapt : pleased, delighted
Reckon! : you bet! Absolutely!
Rellie or relo : family relative
Ridgy-didge : original, genuine
Ripper : great, fantastic – “it was a ripper party”
Ripper, you little! : Exclamation of delight or as a reaction to good news
Rock up : to turn up, to arrive – “we rocked up at their house at 8pm”
Roo : kangaroo
Ropeable : very angry

S

Sanger : a sandwich
Servo : petrol station
She’ll be right : it’ll turn out okay
Shonky : dubious, underhanded. E.g. a shonky practice, shonky business etc.
Smokes : Cigarettes
Smoko : smoke or coffee break
Spit the dummy : get very upset at something
Sprung : caught doing something wrong
Spunk : a good looking person – male or female
Squizz (noun) : look – “take a squizz at these words!”
Stickybeak : nosy person
Stoked : very pleased
Strewth : exclamation, mild oath – “Strewth, these words are rippa”!
Strine : Australian slang and pronunciation
Stuffed, I feel : I’m tired
Stuffed, I’ll be : expression of surprise
Sunbake : sunbathe
Sunnies : sunglasses

T

Thongs : cheap rubber backless sandals
Tinny : small aluminium boat
Togs : swim suit
Too right! : definitely!
Trackies : track suit
Truckie : truck driver

U

Uni : university

V

Vedgies : vegetables
Vee dub : Volkswagen
Veg out : relax in front of the TV (like a vegetable)
Vejjo : vegetarian
Vinnie’s : St. Vincent De Paul’s (charity thrift stores and hostels)

W

Waggin’ school : playing truant
Whinge : complain
Wog : flu or trivial illness
Woop Woop : invented name for any small unimportant town – “he lives in Woop Woop”

Y

Yakka : work (noun)
Yewy : u-turn in traffic – “Chuck a yewy at the next set of traffic lights”

Thanks to KOALA-NET for the terminology

Thanks to google-images for the flag map