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ljpliceaseAustralian English began to diverge from British English after the foundation of New South Wales is 1788 - that is at the very beginning of European settlement. Although British English could be fairly be considered to be the most significant source material for the basis of Australian English, the same could be said of American English, which is quite distinct to Americans, just as the differences between Australian, British and Kiwi English are clear to Australians and New Zealanders.
Australian English is subdivided into three main types. The archetypal Broad Australian English [1], General Australian English [2], spoken by the majority of Australians, and Cultivated Australian English [3] (CAE). Although CAE has many similarities to English English, and is often mistaken for it, it accounts for less than ten percent of the population.
Australia also has close ties with the United States. Many American words and phrases have been happily adopted by Australians, thanks to the massive influx of US military personnel during the Second World War, and the later large scale invasion of American culture in the form of TV and movies. There are also native influences on the language, such as jumbuck for sheep, which evolved when aboriginals saw sheep for the first time.
Fair dinkum genuine.
G'day is thoroughly Australian greeting.
No worries. I once visited a "town" in the Northern Territory which consisted of one store [4] where I did not hear the salesman utter anything aside from the phrase "no worries."
Billabong a stagnant pool of water attached to a waterway.
Tucker food.
Footy or football refers to either Australian Rules Football, or Rugby. Neither of which are equivalent to football in the UK or US.
Bastard is not an Australian only word, but it's use in Australian English is a general-purpose adjective which can be either a term of endearment or hostility. Hence "Which one of youse bastards called this bastard a bastard?"
Bushranger is roughly analogous to Bristish-American highwayman.
chook meaning chicken [5]. Also common in New Zealand.
lolly is candy and lolly water is soda.
stickybeak or snoop.
Galah fool.
[1] Think Paul Hogan.
[2] If you have ever seen Neighbours...
[3] Once common amongst public officials.
[4] I've been told that for a settlement to be considered a town in Australia it needs to have a pub, a post office and a hotel. Since one building can potentially account for all three you can have a town consisting of one building.
[5] Well I thought that...
You know what thought did?
...
He stuck a feather in the ground and thought he'd grow a chook.
Australian English is subdivided into three main types. The archetypal Broad Australian English [1], General Australian English [2], spoken by the majority of Australians, and Cultivated Australian English [3] (CAE). Although CAE has many similarities to English English, and is often mistaken for it, it accounts for less than ten percent of the population.
Australia also has close ties with the United States. Many American words and phrases have been happily adopted by Australians, thanks to the massive influx of US military personnel during the Second World War, and the later large scale invasion of American culture in the form of TV and movies. There are also native influences on the language, such as jumbuck for sheep, which evolved when aboriginals saw sheep for the first time.
Fair dinkum genuine.
G'day is thoroughly Australian greeting.
No worries. I once visited a "town" in the Northern Territory which consisted of one store [4] where I did not hear the salesman utter anything aside from the phrase "no worries."
Billabong a stagnant pool of water attached to a waterway.
Tucker food.
Footy or football refers to either Australian Rules Football, or Rugby. Neither of which are equivalent to football in the UK or US.
Bastard is not an Australian only word, but it's use in Australian English is a general-purpose adjective which can be either a term of endearment or hostility. Hence "Which one of youse bastards called this bastard a bastard?"
Bushranger is roughly analogous to Bristish-American highwayman.
chook meaning chicken [5]. Also common in New Zealand.
lolly is candy and lolly water is soda.
stickybeak or snoop.
Galah fool.
[1] Think Paul Hogan.
[2] If you have ever seen Neighbours...
[3] Once common amongst public officials.
[4] I've been told that for a settlement to be considered a town in Australia it needs to have a pub, a post office and a hotel. Since one building can potentially account for all three you can have a town consisting of one building.
[5] Well I thought that...
You know what thought did?
...
He stuck a feather in the ground and thought he'd grow a chook.
