Australian slang is a colorful and descriptive set of terms used by natives, including greetings like “G’day” and “Hooroo,” and terms for men and women like “bloke” and “Sheila.” Ordering coffee can be confusing, but there are unique drinks like the flat white. Popular slang terms describe moods or states of mind, like “agro” for aggressive or angry. Understanding the lyrics of “Waltzing Matilda” can be helpful in understanding Aussie slang. Overall, Aussie slang is a fascinating subject for language lovers.
Australian slang is a broad set of colorful and descriptive terms used by native Australians. While incomprehensible to many outsiders, Aussie slang fans love to hunt down new phrases our friends over there concocted. If you’re planning a trip to Australia or have a group of Aussie friends that rarely make sense to you, here are some basic terms to help you adjust, or at least find your hotel.
If you’ve ever sat down to watch an Australian movie or an episode of The Crocodile Hunter, you’ve probably heard the greeting ‘G’day’, short for ‘good morning’. Less often you hear an interesting word for goodbye – “Hooroo”. Basic terms for men and women include “bloke” and “Sheila.” These terms should get you through the average day, but Aussie slang gets a lot more confusing and fun.
If someone tells you they are “flat out” they are not lying down. Instead, it means they’re going full speed ahead, as hard as possible. Expansions on the term include the colorful “plate like a lizard drinking,” which offers great mental imagery without necessarily being logical. People who are booming are rarely imbeciles, galah or galoot, which are all Australian terms for foolish or lazy people.
Ordering coffee can be completely perplexing for the visitor unfamiliar with Aussie slang. For a single shot of espresso to get you going, ask for a short black. A lungo nero is similar to an americano, espresso with a shot or two of hot water. For a café au lait, try asking for a long black with a side of milk. A unique Australian drink is the flat white, an espresso with double the amount of steamed milk. Similar but not identical to a latte macchiato, the drink is rarely sold outside Australia and is a real treat.
Some popular Australian slang terms describe someone’s mood or state of mind. “Agro” is short for aggressive or angry, and is also the name of a famous crocodile. “Airy Fairy” is used to describe a vague or vapid person. “Derro” is slang for derelict and means a dumb or lazy fellow, while someone with jelly knees is weak or nervous.
Many people, upon first hearing the lyrics of Australia’s beloved ballad “Waltzing Matilda” may come to the conclusion that Australians are crazy, because it sounds like Lewis Caroll-like lyrics. Australian slang in the first verse is explained roughly as follows: a swagman is a traveling traveler or hitchhiker, a billabong is a watering hole, a billy is a can of water used to boil liquid over a fire, and a matilda is slang for a backpack. Essentially, the verse is about a camping and boiling water hitchhiker wondering who wants to dance with his backpack. Understanding the lyrics might not make you feel any less confused about the Aussie character, but at least you’ll understand why they’re so confusing, especially when the song is about shoving a jumbuck, or sheep, into its bag and dancing with it.
Clearly, Australian slang is a fascinating subject that may leave you more giddy the more you study it. Creative words and phrases are a constant source of fun and entertainment for anyone who loves languages and add a lot of life to Australian English.
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