Language learning isn't what I expected to be doing in Australia but it turns out that there are loads of words that are different between here and the States, not to mention all the different pronunciations and getting used to a different accent! Here are the main differences I've learned over the last several months.
Australian English - American English
4WD | SUV |
"That's $5, thank you" (salesperson in a store) | "That's $5 please" |
Afternoon tea | Coffee/tea break |
Aluminium | Aluminum |
Arvo | Afternoon |
Bacon | More like ham |
Barbie | Barbeque |
Bin | Trash can |
Biscuit (bikkies) | Cracker or cookie |
Bitumen (pronounced bitchumen) | Tar/asphalt |
Bloke | Guy |
Bludger (pronounced blujuh) | Lazy person |
Bonnet | Hood |
Boot | Trunk |
Bottle shop | Liquor store |
Brekkie | Breakfast |
Bring a plate | Potluck |
Bush | Out in the country, the woods |
Bush fire | Forest fire |
Bush walking | Hiking |
Capsicum | Green/red/yellow pepper |
Caravan | Motor home |
Chips | French fries |
Chemist | Pharmacist |
Chooks | Chickens |
Chuck a left/right/u-turn | Turn left… |
Chuck a wobbly | Throw a fit |
Clucky | Wanting your own kids |
College | Tech school |
Creche | Nursery |
Crook | Sick or below standard |
Cuppa | Cup of tea |
Dacking | Depantsing |
Diagonally | Kitty corner |
Dobber | Tattletale |
Dodgy | Shady or below standard |
Dressing gown | Bathrobe |
Doona | Bedspread |
Dunny | Outhouse |
Esky | Cooler |
Fair dinkum | For real, true |
Fair go | Give someone a chance |
Flat out | Going as fast as possible |
Footpath | Sidewalk |
Footy | Aussie rules football |
Fortnight | 2 weeks |
Full on | Super busy, overwhelming, intense |
Gaol | Jail |
G'day | Hey |
Get sacked | Get fired |
Give way | Yield |
Good as! (can be used with most any adjective) | As good as (fill in the blank) |
Good on ya | Good for you, way to go |
Year 1 | 1st grade |
Hand in | Turn in |
Heaps (can say things like 'heaps good) | Lots (exp. Like "super good") |
High school | 7th -12th grade |
Holiday | Vacation |
How ya goin'? | How's it going? |
Ice block | Popsicle |
Jumper (pronounced jumpuh) | Sweater |
Kindy | Kindergarten or pre-school |
Lollies | Candy |
Lolly | Sucker |
Loo | Bathroom |
Maccas | McDonalds |
Mark | Grade (on an assignment) |
Mate | Friend |
Milk bar | General or corner store |
Milkshake | Actual milk with syrup or flavoring in it |
Mince | Ground beef/hamburger |
Mobile | Cell phone |
Morning tea | Coffee/tea break |
Mozzie | Mosquito |
Muesli | Granola |
Mum | Mom |
Nappy | Diaper |
No worries | No problem, it's alright |
Ocker (pronounced ockuh) | Aussie version of a redneck |
Oval | Sports field |
Over (used as a verb) the page | Turn the page |
Parcel (pronounced pawsull) | Package |
Partner (pronounced pawtnuh) | Husband/wife |
Petrol | Gas |
Pinch | Steal |
Plaits | Braids |
Poo | Manure or poop |
Pram | Stroller |
Primary School | Elementary School |
Rock up/turn up | Show up |
Rockmelon | Cantaloupe |
Rubbish | Trash |
Sanger (pronounced sanguh) | Sandwich |
Schmozle | Mess, chaotic situation |
School | Up to age 18 Only |
Semi trailer (pronounced semee trailuh) | Semi |
Serviette | Napkin |
Servo | Gas station |
She'll be right | It's all good |
Shop | Store |
Shout | Treat someone (pay for their meal) |
Sickie | Sick day |
Singlet | Tank top |
Skivvy | Turtleneck |
Smoko | Smoke break or tea break |
Stone | Pit (as in a fruit) |
Sneakers/runners/joggers | Tennis shoes |
Spider (pronounced spida) | Coke (or any other pop/soda) float |
Stonefruit | Any fruit with a pit in it |
Sultanas | Raisons |
Supper (pronounced supuh) | Post-dinner snack |
Swimmers/bathers/swimming costume/togs | Swimsuit |
Ta (pronounced taw) | Thanks |
Tea | Evening meal |
That's all right | Sure, you're welcome |
The toilet | Bathroom |
Thongs | Flip flops |
Tick | Checkmark |
Tin | Can |
Tinny | Can of beer |
Tip | Dump/landfill |
Tomato sauce (pronounced tomawto sowce) | Ketchup |
Track | Trail |
Tracky daks | Sweat pants |
Trolley | Cart |
Trousers (pronounced trousas) | Pants |
Truck | Delivery truck, semi |
Tyre | Tire |
Uni (university) | College |
Ute | Pickup Truck |
White tea/white coffee | Tea/coffee with milk |
Windscreen | Windshield |
Zed | Z |
Pronunciations |
|
Ah mund | Almond |
Ashfelt | Asphalt |
Core dee ull | Cordial |
Fawstuh | Faster |
Heytch (H) | Aytch (H) |
Nyewspeypuh | Newspaper |
Pasta (1st a like a in apple) | Pasta |
Semee | Semi |
Sixdeen | Sixteen |
Chune | Tune |
Whoa tuh | Water |
All R's at the end of words dropped unless following word begins in a vowel Exp. "computa" for computer or "caw" for car |
|
All R's in the middle of words dropped if in a consonant cluster. Exp. "Cala" for Carla or "ama" for armor |
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R's added to words ending in a vowel if the following word begins in a vowel. Exp. "Montana(r) is a great state" |
Wow, pretty incredibly long list! Who would have thought!
3 comments:
wow! impressive list! is this just from your own observations?
by the way - we do not say 'milk bar'!!! where did you get that? melody?
:)
Elyse, ya you're right - I don't think I've ever heard anyone use the term milk bar. I just got that one from all the stores around here with signs above them saying "milk bar". Weird.
I say 'milk bar' all the time! Ah ha ha ha! So funny Laura! - esp the way Aussie's say stuff...
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