Australian Slang Dictionary

By admin | March 21, 2008

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Introduction:   Or as Aussie’s would say, this is an “intro”. An intro is what you do when you want, or need, to keep something short or brief. In this instance, a very brief intro to the ‘Aussie lingo’ as spoken today because it has become a very broad subject; often based on past colloquialisms, or better known as “slang”. Like any good language, it has evolved based on necessity to communicate a thought, feeling or idea.

The other interesting thing to be aware of is that our slang varies slightly from state to state. In some cases, some slang words only relate to something in that state of Australia alone and haven’t made it into everyday speech in other states of Australia

Even in some states of Australia (like Queensland) the slang and speech varies from North Queensland to South East Queensland (around Brisbane) For example, a very confusing thing when you first hear it from a Northern Queenslander is the habit of ending every statement with “hey” as a question. Hearing someone make a statement followed by a question sounds very different until you get used to not answering the statement as a question.

 Confusing? Then now you know why we decided to add this little dictionary synopsis. It’s our way of helping our friends around the word to understand what we are talking about. So it’s not words alone that define our slang; but the words add the colour, where the speech variety adds the character.  DICTIONARY WORDS: A. 

ACCA: (1) Is an academic or an intellectual type person. They are called “Accas” or (2)another meaning is to say “It’s all acca anyway” which means that the discussion is all academic and doesn’t matter one way or the other anyway.

 

AERIAL PING PONG: Refers to a football game called Australian Rules. It differs substantially from soccer, rugby league or rugby union.

 

AGGRO: (1) Someone who is very aggravated about something or (2) you are going to make someone very angry about something: You are going to give them “a bit of aggro”

 

AMBOS: These are Ambulance drivers, or anyone who travels with the Ambulance service anywhere in Australia

 

 ANZAC Biscuits: This recipe comes from WW1 when rations were hard to get so some enterprising and resourceful Country Women put together a recipe for easily made biscuits requiring few ingredients and ones that were easily obtainable at the time. The word ANZAC stands for Australian New Zealand Army Corps.

 

APPLES: “She’ll be apples mate” means everything is quite OK, easily done.

 

ARVO: Means in the afternoon.

 

ARTHUR OR MARTHA: Means you don’t know what you are doing. You are confused. “I don’t know whether I’m Arthur or Martha writing this dictionary synopsis” because there are so many words that could be added. 

 

AUSSIE BATTLER: Is someone who is ‘doing it hard’ that is, with little reward for their efforts.

 

 B. 

BANANAS: If someone ‘goes bananas’ means they are very angry. 

 

BANANA BENDER: Is someone who comes from Queensland.

 

BANDICOOT: Is an Australian Mammal who burrows underground. It has a small pointed face and looks like a cross between a rabbit and a fox. It has a ‘bottle brush tail’ but it is only a small animal. There are different varieties of the species Australia wide.  One popular saying is “as miserable as a Bandicoot” which means they are mean and stingy.

 

BARBECUE STOPPER:  Is a statement/conversation that makes everyone stop what they are doing and listen.  It stops all conversation mid-sentences.

 

BARCOO: Is a river in far western Queensland that is seen as being out in the boondocks. It is supposedly (once historically) a place of great deprivation and loneliness. Because they rarely got any fresh fruit or vegetables, people living out there often became very ill and this became known as “Barcoo rot”.

 

BARRACK FOR: Is to support someone or some team. You shout or yell to cheer them on to win.

 

BASTARD: Has numerous connotations and usually depends on the tone of voice used in each instance.  It ranges from a term of endearment to a full-out, foul-mouthed uttering of sheer rage.

 

BIG NOTE: Is to brag in order to try to impress someone. Not a very complimentary description of someone’s character. Generally considered very bad mannered to do.

 

BILLABONG: Is a pool of water formed by a river or creek that has changed direction in the water flow and left a pool behind.

 

BILLY: Is a can or tin that has a wire handle over the top and can be placed on an open fire or hung from a metal tripod over an open fire. “To put the billy on” means to get the hot water ready for a ‘cup of tea’ or better known as a “cuppa”  To be invited for a ‘cuppa’ or to be included in a ‘boil the billy’ is an expression of friendship.  However, another term is to be called a “silly billy” which is a mild-mannered rebuke for some foolishness, thought or action. The expression is more often used for children when they have done something silly and hurt themselves. 

 

BITSER: Is a mongrel dog; or a dog whose parentage is difficult to define, is known as a “bitser” everything.  Another term for a bitser is a ‘Heinz 57’ so called because Heinze once advertised 57 different varieties of something (soup, I believe it was) and we liked that description so much we have added it into our lingo for a mongrel dog.  That is complimentary Aussie humour.

 

BLACK STUMP: Is a mythical place supposedly located somewhere ‘out the back-o-Bourke’ or well away from any known habitation at the time the phrase was coined. Today, Bourke is a real thriving mining town located in far western NSW 800 kilometres from Sydney.  

 

BLOOD’S WORTH BOTTLING: “Your blood’s worth bottling” Means you are a good person and should be kept around for a while. If your ‘blood’s worth bottling’ you keep the right to produce progeny.

 

BLUDGER: Is a very derogative term for someone who won’t work. They ‘bludge’ of other people.  That is, they sponge of them or misuse the social security system by refusing to do any gainful work.

 

BLUEY: Has several meanings. (1)  In the 1930-1960 era,  ‘to pack one’s bluey’ meant to take your personal possessions and wrap them in a blanket, wrap a leather throng or strap around it and carry it like a swag across your shoulders or on your back. (2) To get a “bluey” means you got a blue ticket parking fine which had to be paid. (3) Means that a person has red-hair. All red-headed people are known as “bluey’s” and (4) It’s a bluey-grey long woollen coat used for working outdoors in cold weather.

 

BODGIE: (1) To do a make-shift job of work on something. “He bodgied up the crankshaft to get me home” or  “He bodgied the books” means that they have huge discrepancies and will soon be found out.  Any “bodgie job” is considered bad.

 

BODGIE: (2) These Bodgies go back to the time pre surf days when Bodgies wore red socks, greased back hair James Dean Style and often rode motor bikes. Their female companions were known as Widgies.

 

BOGEY: Means to have a wash or shower.

 

BONDI TRAM: “He shot through like a Bondi Tram” means he took off fast. Once there were trams in Sydney so this expression probably relates to those times but is still used frequently to express someone’s fast departure from a place. 

 

BOONDOCKS: Is the place way-beyond civilisation that has no name nor ever likely to.

 

BONZA: Means exceptionally good. “That’s absolutely bonza mate’ means someone is very happy for you. Or “he’s a Bonza bloke” means his ‘bloods worth bottling’.

 

BOOFHEAD: Means that someone is considered an idiot.

 

BOOMERANG: Is an Australian Aboriginal word meaning a slightly  triangular shaped piece of wood designed so that when thrown at prey or enemy, if it didn’t hit the mark it would return to the thrower.  Today though, the term is often used for kids who leave home and then return when the going gets too tough. They are known as “Boomerang kids”.

 

BOTTLE: Is a term used to describe someone’s capabilities or expertise. “Yeah mate, he’s the full bottle” means he knows what he’s talking about. Or if you want to denigrate someone, you would say “He’s not the full bottle mate”.

 

BRIDE’S NIGHTIE: Is used to describe someone’s fast departure from something or someone. “He saw her coming around the corner and he took off like a bride’s nightie” means he left very fast. This type of departure is a bit derogatory as the connotation implies.

 

BRING A PLATE: Is a polite way of asking guests to bring a plate of food to share.

 

BRUMBY: Is a wild unbroken horse running free.

 

BROKE: Means that a person has absolutely no money.

 

BUCKLEYS: Means not a chance in Hell. Whoever this person originally may have been, no one knows but if he takes after the meaning his name has become, he sure had no chance of success. Or as we would say “He’s got Buckley’s mate!”

 

BUDGIE SMUGGLERS: Is a very brief swimsuit made for men that barely conceal ‘the necessaries’. They are made from a Lycra type fabric material that basically doesn’t leave much for women to have to imagine about. So that we don’t make our blokes feel self-conscious, we refer to them as ‘budgie smugglers’.

 

BULL DUST: Has two meanings: (1) Refers to the very fine, choking dust that accumulates in the outback centre of Australia during the ‘dry’ season. This dust can be very deep and is very powdery. (2) Is a polite term for the dried-out anal droppings of a Bull.      

 

BULLS ROAR: “He never came within a bull’s roar of it mate” means he didn’t even come close.

 

BUNG: Has two meanings: (1) it’s broken or doesn’t work properly any more “It’s gone bung” and (2) is a stopper on a bottle. “He put a bung in the top” and it didn’t leak anymore.

 

BUNYIP: Is an Aboriginal myth of a monster animal that eats people. 

 

BURL: To give something a burl means to ‘have a go’ at doing something.

 

BUSH WEEK: Refers to something that just doesn’t happen. If someone is asking you to believe something totally unbelievable, just ask them “what do you think this is, bush week?”

 

BUTCHER’S HOOK: Means to take a look~ Rhyming slang. 

   

C.

 

CABBAGE TREE HAT: Is a Jackeroos head wear to keep the hot sun off his head and shoulders. They are usually made from felt, with a huge crown on top and very wide floppy hat brims. These hats can deputise as buckets to water stock when needed.

 

CARK: Means to die. If someone or something “carks it” it means they’ve dropped dead.

 

CHARDONNAY SOCIALIST:  Is a rather derogatory term for someone who espouses left wing politics yet doesn’t live the philosophy.

 

CHOOK: Is what many Australian’s love to eat. A Chook is a chicken in the kitchen but a chook in the yard. Here we have many ‘cooked chook’ outlets as fast food outlets.

 

CHUCK: (1) is to throw something or (2) a cheaper cut of beef called chuck steak.

 

CHUNDER: Means to vomit.  The expression “Chunder down under” also refers to someone who has Diarrhoea.

 

COBBER: Means mate, good friend.  Probably more used in the WW1 era than today but it’s still good to know that one has ‘cobbers’.  

 

COCKY: Is someone who owns and works on the land. My Dad was a “sheep cocky”

 

COOLABAH: Is a long, wooden carrying-type tray with curved sides that the Aboriginal women used when carrying yams, grubs and lizards when out foraging for food.  

 

COOLIBAH: Is a type of tree that grows in the wetter areas of Australia.

 

CROOK: Has three meanings (1) “I feel crook” means I feel generally unwell. (2) “He’s a bit of a crook” means “he’s a bit of a crim” which means he has some redeeming characteristics and isn’t all bad and (3) “Things are a bit crook” means someone is going through a hard time.

 

D. 

DAG: If someone called you a “Dag” they weren’t being very complimentary. This was a very popular expression in the ‘60’s to describe someone as being ‘not very desirable’.  The original meaning of ‘dag’ was faeces that hung off a sheep’s rear end that caught in the wool and used to hang there until the sheep was either ‘fly blown’ or shorn.

 

DAKS: Are trousers or pants. Daks was once a brand of trousers but now means all trousers and pants. We put on our underdaks first before we put on our daks.

 

DAMPER: Is Bushmen’s bread made from floor and water with a bit of salt if they were lucky, and cooked in the coals of a fire. Damper is still popular today especially if filled with Golden Syrup. 

 

DIDDLED: Means they have been cheated.

 

DIDGERIDOO: Is an Aboriginal musical instrument made from a long piece of hollowed-out timber and when blown makes a very mournful sound that carries a long distance.

 

DIGGER: An Australian Soldier

 

DINNER: If someone said to you that “they were done like a dinner” means they got well- cooked in some deal or transaction.

 

DOB: To “dob” on someone means to tell all about them.

 

DONKEY VOTE: Refers to a compulsory vote that has been purposely spoiled because they either didn’t want to vote for any candidate or made a mistake on their ballet paper. Voting in elections is compulsory in Australia.

 

DRONGO: A “drongo” refers to someone you think is a bit of an idiot.  

 

DROVERS DOG: Is a very uncomplimentary saying referring to the ugliness of many dogs that help drovers. They are usually big and ugly and totally non-entities.

 

DROVER: Is someone who herds a mob of sheep or cattle through stock routes commonly known as ‘the long paddock’ for feed due to drought usually. Droving today is a lot easier than it was 30 years ago as today they often have a caravan with the mob. 

 

DUNNY: Is a toilet. Years ago when toilets were outside ‘outhouses’ the ‘dunny’ man used to go through towns and cities with his ‘dunny cart’ and pick up the pans for disposal. These days though a dunny refers to any toilet.

 

DURRY: Is a very uncomplimentary term for a cigarette.

 

E. 

EVERY BLOKE AND HIS DOG: Means nothing special, very common. Everyone and then some more will be there or will have it.

 

F. 

FAIR DINKUM: Means truthful. If something is true then it’s said to be fair dinkum.

 

FAIR DINKY DI: Means that it is the absolute truth with no joking.

 

FAIR GO: Is what Australians live by; it’s our national philosophy to give everyone a ‘fair go’ or a fair deal.  It is often used as an exclamation too when used as a form of disbelief. “Fair go mate, they’ve only just left the yard!”

 

FAIR SUCK OF THE SAV: Means be reasonable.  A Sav refers to a long red, spicy sausage usually used in hot dogs and called a Saveloy.

 

FAIRY BREAD: Is what is often served at young children’s birthday parties. It is white bread spread with butter and lavishly sprinkled with ‘hundred’s and thousands’ and cut into triangles. Hundred’s and thousands are brightly coloured, round, crunchy, sugary dots. 

 

FERAL: To describe someone as being a ‘feral’ means they have once been domesticated but have now gone wild and live like a wild animal.

 

FLAT OUT LIKE A LIZARD DRINKING: Is a play on words meaning ‘flat out’ as lizards lie flat to quickly drink in sunshine to metabolise their food before it rots in their stomachs.  This naturally has to be done very fast.

 

FLICKS: Is the local picture theatre where they used to show pictures (now called movies) it became known as ‘the flicks’ because of the flickering effect from the projectors used to show the picture.

 

FLY-BLOWN: Is what happens to sheep when the wool around their tail gets attacked by flies and the flies lay their eggs which grow into maggots eating away at the sheep’s skin.  If left untreated, the sheep goes mad and dies horribly.

 

FOSSICK: Means to search for something; usually refers to a gold or gem prospector.

 

 G. 

GALAH: Has a couple of meanings (1) Is a native Australian bird in the Parrot family that has a raucous call and are usually found in big mobs. (2) To refer to someone as a galah means they are acting like a brainless idiot. The galah is considered the clown of the bush. A rather uncomplimentary term if you were to call someone ‘a bit of a galah’.

 

GALAH SESSION: Refers to that time of day (early morning and early evening) when the women of remote outback stations had a free talk session over the pedal radio. This became known as ‘the galah session’. Can also refer to any group discussion where speech is loud and long.

 

GEEK: Has several meanings. (1) Is someone who is a tech type person as in the International understanding of a computer geek and (2) is a very Australian word meaning to take a look at something as in “Have a geek at this!” meaning to have a look.

 

GLORY BOX: Is what a young woman uses to store her domestic items in for the future time when she marries and sets up her own household. 

 

GONG: Is a slightly derisive term for a medal. To say that someone has been ‘gonged’ means they have received a medal for services rendered.

 

GOOG: Has several meanings (1) refers to an egg. Usually when speaking to a child you could ask “would you like a googie egg for breakfast?” and (2) “full as a goog” means they have had more than sufficient to eat.  (3) Usually refers to someone who has had too much to drink and is as “full as a goog”. In this last example it is usually very uncomplimentary.

 

GREY NOMAD: Refers to retiring ‘baby boomers’ that have left their homes and are touring/travelling around Australia or around the world.  In Australia they are often seen pulling caravans behind their vehicles.

 

GUERNSEY: Is a team shirt worn by footballers of all codes ie: Rugby Union, Rugby League and Australian Rules. “To pull on the Guernsey” is an accolade of competence, you’ve made the team. To “get a Guernsey” means you have earned a reward and acknowledgement for something well-done.

 

H. 

HAPPY LITTLE VEGEMITE: Means you are happy that something has worked out in your favour.  Years ago, when Vegemite was Australian owned, they had a commercial jingle running for a long time that had the words “Happy little Vegemites, as happy as can be……”  and we’ve adopted the slogan into our Aussie lingo.

 

HARD WORD: Originally was what some males put on females to get sex. Nowadays though, it has become more generalised to mean “ask in the expectation that the request can’t be refused”.

 

HARD YAKKA: Means to work hard or that a job you are doing is hard work.

 

HILLS HOIST: Is the most common clothesline in Australia and can be found in many suburban backyards. It was an Australian invention back in the 1940’s and is also known as a rotary clothesline. Australian’s usually hang wet clothes on a clothesline in their backyards to dry rather than putting them into a clothes dryer. The hills hoist was a terrific invention because it takes up little space in a backyard and can be wound up so that wet clothes are out of the way of people using the backyard.  

 

HOON: Is someone who is acting like a brainless idiot. Usually refers to young males doing ‘burnouts’ with their cars or generally disturbing the peace.

 

I. 

IRON LUNG: Is what was used for Polio patients to keep them alive by breathing for them. To say that “Someone wouldn’t work in an iron lung” means they are incredibly lazy.

 

J. 

JACKEROO: Is a male station hand working on the big cattle stations in Northern and remote outback stations.  They are very competent horsemen and usually wear huge cabbage tree hats to keep cool.

 

JILLEROO: Is the female version of a Jackeroo.

 

JUMBUCK: Is a slang term for a sheep. The word is not used very much today except when used in “Waltzing Matilda” our national song that is well known around the world.

 

K. 

KNOCK SHOP: A brothel.

 

KOORI: Is an Aboriginal word meaning an Aboriginal person or people of Aboriginal descent.  In the Northern Territory of Australia, the people there refer to themselves as Yolgnu people.

L.

LAIR: A lair is a showy person who dresses for attention and acts to ‘big note’ themselves. It is a very uncomplimentary term to call someone ‘a bit of a lair’ meaning they are not respectable.

 

LAY-BY: Is when you put goods aside in a shop and pay them off a little bit each week/month.

 

LIFE WASN’T MEANT TO BE EASY: Was a statement made by Prime Minster Malcolm Fraser after a crippling budget speech was delivered and he told the Australian people that our “life wasn’t meant to be easy” Those words hit into the Australian psyche and have been derisively adopted.

 

LITTLE AUSSIE BATTLER: Is a term to describe an insignificant person who toils continually without much reward. Someone who struggles to make ends meet. It is a term of affectionate respect more than a put-down.

 

LONG PADDOCK: In Australia most roads have a broad grass verge either side of the road and are designated as “stock routes” These stock routes are known as the “long Paddocks” because they are not fenced, are public lands and can go on indefinitely. Drovers use them to feed their mobs of sheep and /or cattle during periods of drought in Australia.  There are some rules that have to be complied with and these tend to vary from council shire to council shire and are policed.  One of the big downsides to taking a mob on the road is the stock loss due to careless drivers and the need to be continually moving. Drovers are not permitted to stay in one place.

 

M. 

MAD AS A CUT SNAKE: Means you are so angry you are going crazy. When you cut a snake they become vicious and when you get “as mad as a cut snake” means you will lash out.

 

MAIC PUDDING: There was a famous Australian Children’s story called “The Magic Pudding” that told of a magic pudding that continually renewed itself every time someone took a piece from it. This ‘magic pudding’ synonym is often used to say that you are dealing/not dealing with some magical renewable resource.

 

MALLEE BULL: If someone says “they are as fit as a Mallee Bull” means you had better watch out because they are in top form! The Mallee district is an area in north-western Victoria that covers a huge distance. So if you had to put a bull to the cows in the area he would have to be very fit and healthy to ‘do his duty’ hence the saying.

 

MANCHESTER: Is an area in a department store that sells household linen.

 

MELBA: “Do a Melba” means to do several farewell tours before finally leaving. Dame Nellie Melba was a world renowned Opera singer who did several farewell tours before finally leaving the stage. Interestingly, one of Australia’s favourite desserts was also named after her and a “Peach Melba” is delightful to eat.

 

MOOMBA: Is a Melbourne festival held every year around March. Moomba is a time of celebration of everything Victorian and fun.

 

MOZ: If someone ‘puts the moz’ on you means they have jinxed you.

 

MULLET: (1) Is a fish with bulging eyes and gasping mouth when first caught. To say that someone stood there “looking like a stunned Mullet” means they were confused and shocked and totally unable to deal with the situation. It is not very complimentary to say that someone stood there and ‘looked like a stunned’ mullet. (2) Has a hairstyle called a mullet cut that resembles the spine fins of that fish. 

 

N.

 

NASHO: Was the derogatory name given for a National Service soldier conscripted during the years Australia had compulsory military conscription. This was abolished in the 1970’s but these days a Nasho still refers to someone who served as a soldier (usually in the Vietnam conflict) and is now used as an affectionate and grateful accolade for a returned serviceman. 

 

NO WORRIES: Is a favourite saying of many Australian’s meaning that they can do something without any problem. 

 

NO PROBS: an abbreviation meaning they can get something done without upsetting themselves too much to do it. 

O. 

OCKER: Is a reference to an Australian male stereotype. He is usually someone who has few good manners and is not socially acceptable. An Ocker usually wears a blue singlet top, doesn’t speak very well, drops all his ‘aitches’, scratches his balls in public, belches loudly, and is generally unacceptable to the opposite sex.

 

ON THE TRACK: Usually refers to “on the wallaby track” or someone who is travelling through the bush following wallaby’s tracks looking for work. Wallaby’s are a small marsupial in the Kangaroo family who are renowned for living in dense bushes. The trails they make through these scrub areas are known as “wallaby tracks” which are pretty easily followed.

   

P.

 

PAV: Is the shortened word for Pavlova which is one of Australia’s favourite desserts. It is made of meringue and filled with fresh whipped cream and fruit.

 

PINEAPPLE: Is a fruit grown in many areas of Australia but to say to someone that they “got the rough end of the Pineapple” means they got diddled badly.

 

PLONK: Is our irreverent word for wine. It can be a ‘top shelf’ or a cask wine but it is still called ‘plonk’

 

POKIES: Are gaming machines found in most clubs and some pubs around Australia.

 

POMMY: Is our somewhat affectionate term for anyone who comes from anywhere in England.  

 

PORK CHOP: (1) “To carry on like a pork chop” means to act in an irrational and silly manner making a huge fuss over nothing.  (2) If someone says “As welcome as a pork chop in a synagogue” means they felt very out of place or made to feel very unwelcome.

 

POSSUM: (1) Is a small marsupial and nocturnal animal that lives in trees and only comes out to feed at night.  (2) To play possum means to pretend you are unaware; to be unresponsive. (3) To “stir the possum” means to stir a situation up intentionally.

 

PRAWN: Is a shellfish very common in Australia and worldwide but we have adapted the “raw prawn” as an expression to signify an attempt to deceive and one that stinks or is totally unacceptable.  “Don’t come the raw prawn with me mate” is an xpression of disgust.

 

PROPERTY: (1) Refers to a smaller land holding for sheep or cattle grazing and farming (2) Ownership of a house and/or land in a town or suburbia. Properties are smaller land holdings than the outback stations and usually have better soils and can be used to farm (ie: grow grain crops) where the stations usually run stock alone.

 

R. 

RAZOO: Is a term given to a mythical coin that doesn’t exist. Saying someone ‘doesn’t have a brass razoo’ to their name means they are broke.

 

RAZOR GANG: Is the name given to a group of politicians and public servants charged with the duty to slash Government spending.

 

ROONED: Comes from a well known Australian poem called “Said Hanrahan”. This poem is about a farmer standing around a country church door talking to his neighbours about how “We’ll all be ruined, said Hanrahan, before the year is out”. He was a pessimist of the worst kind and would never be satisfied with anything. So today, the ‘rooned’ bit is used to ‘take the mickey’ out of all people perceived as being pessimistic.

 

RORT: Is to misuse a system or thing to maximise self-benefit. “To rort the system” today usually refers to dole bludging people who won’t work.

S. 

SANGER: Is another name for a sandwich.

 

SCHOOL OF THE AIR: Is how many children in remote rural Australia attend school. School of the Air was first developed for outback kids in the early 1950’s. These kids used to pedal the wireless to generate the energy to send and receive messages.  Some of the kids who went to school together on school of the air may only ever have seen each other in real life once or twice in their lifetime. These days with the use of the Internet, broadband and webcams, kids now attend classrooms where they can see the teacher and each other. 

 

SCREAMER: Is someone who has a low tolerance to something, especially alcohol. With some “2 pot screamers” they are saying that they feel drunk after 2 pots of beer/wine or whatever alcoholic beverage it is they are drinking. 

 

SCUMBAG: Was a favourite saying of Prime Minister Paul Keating and meant a very low-life person.

 

SECRET MENS BUSINESS: (1) Is what Aboriginal men do when they are about to be initiated and no women (Aboriginal or otherwise) are allowed anywhere near where this takes place. (2) Secret men’s business today is often used as a term to warn women away from boring type male talk/activities.

 

SEND HER DOWN HUGHIE: Is what we say when it rains after a drought. Where does it come from? Not real sure but when it rains at the end of a long dry spell it sure is sweet! Probably refers back to some ancient time when the “rain God” was worshipped. But today we are genuinely thanking God when we get rain and we are saying we want all you can give us!

 

SHAG: (1) Is a seabird that comes to rest on bare rocks in very exposed areas. When we say “We feel like a shag on a rock” we mean we are feeling very alone, vulnerable and exposed. (2) Another meaning of shag today is the generally accepted international one meaning sex.

 

SHEEP: When we talk about Australia “riding on the sheep’s back” we are referring to those times in the 1950-60’s when wool was getting big prices and we virtually funded Australia’s whole economy off the sheep’s back meaning the wool clip each year.

 

SHEILA: Is a girl or girlfriend.  It is considered a rather derogoratory term today and not one to be used.

 

SHOWER: (1) If someone says “I didn’t come down in the last shower” they are saying stop taking me for an idiot! (2) To give a bridal shower means you are giving a ‘bride-to-be’ a party to build up her glory box. 

 

SICKIE: Is what some employees take to do something else and call their place of employment saying they are sick and won’t be at work. This is then called a ‘sickie’ because they have used sick leave provisions from their employment allocation to go fishing or whatever. Generally frowned upon and not recommended if you want to keep a job.

 

SKIMPY: Is a barmaid in Western Australia who works behind a bar and wears very little clothing. Laws limit the amount of clothes a person can remove but the laws in W.A. allow for barmaids to work topless. In the mining town of Kalgoorlie skimpy work is very lucrative. 

 

SKIPPY: (1) Refers to a well-known Australian television series called “Skippy-the Bush Kangaroo” and is a show that many Australian kids have grown up watching. (2) To call someone a Skippy means that they are Australian born.

 

SKITE: If a person brags about themselves it is called skiting. No one likes a skite as  it is considered very bad manners.

 

SLEEPOUT: Is an additional veranda to a house so that people can sleep under cover where they can get a cooling breeze. These sleep outs tend to become permanent fixtures to a house.  These are generally found in older style homes in tropical and sub-tropical regions.

 

SNAG: (1) Is another name for a sausage.  And (2) is what you hit when trying to do something. If you want to get a job done but get a lot of interruptions, then you’ve hit a snag. (3) Is what happens to your fishing line when you get it snagged in a tree while casting.

 

SORRY BUSINESS: Is used to describe an Aboriginal burial ceremony. These “sorry days” can sometimes last for days if the person was a tribal elder or well respected person in the community.

 

SPIT THE DUMMY: This is what happens when people have had enough of some situation. They tend ‘to spit the dummy’ and refuse to take any further part of something. Usually it is not a very complimentary term to describe someone’s actions and is used when the person describing a situation feels the behaviour of the ‘dummy spitter’ to be unnecessary or unwarranted. “Dummy Spitters” are not highly thought of in our communities.

 

SPUNK: A very sexually desirable person either male or female.

 

SQUATTER: (1) A squatter is someone historically who pioneered and opened up inland Australia (2) but today is generally someone who has illegally occupied an uninhabited house or building. 

 

STATION: (1) A railway or bus station or (2) A huge land holding in outback Australia.

 

STOLEN GENERATIONS: Refers to the Aboriginal children who were physically and forcefully removed from their parents and sent off to ‘white’ homes to be cared for and educated. This generation of people is now referred to as the stolen generation.

 

STUBBY: (1) Is a short, squat bottle of beer that holds 375mls. (2) Is a brand name of a pair of men’s shorts. The ocker image of an Australian male is one where he is holding a stubby in one hand and wearing a blue singlet and a pair of stubby shorts. (3) If someone is described as being a “stubby short of a six pack” they are meaning that the person is not all there. Not a very complimentary thing and even less to be known for.

 

SUCH IS LIFE: The philosophy of many Australians when things go wrong.

 

SWAG: Is the name given the pack that you carry where all your worldly goods are packed into a tightly packed blanket or sleeping roll, wrapped or tied around with a leather throng or strap and carried on your back or across you shoulders.  The billy can is usually left dangling from a piece of string or rope off this pack so you can get a drink from a creek or have a cuppa along the way without having to undo all your swag.

 

SWAGMAN: Is the name given a person who is seen carrying a swag.  This term is usually shortened to ‘swaggie’. With today’s social security system, “swaggies” are very rarely seen. During the great depression they were everywhere and I remember seeing them as a child in the 1950’s. Cow and Sheep cockies usually distrusted swaggies because they would often kill a calf or sheep for some fresh meat if they thought they could get away with it.

 

T. 

TAKE THE MICKEY: Means to tease someone; usually by ‘having a go’ at them over some foolishness they may have, or may not have, done.

 

TALLAROOK: Some mythical place when things get crook. “Things are crook in Tallarook” which is rhyming slang to describe a bad situation.

 

TALL POPPY SYNDROME: Australians have this penchant of closely examining people who do well in our communities. Needless to say, they are not perfect beings so when something disgraceful or not to their credit comes to light they receive a lot of attention as to why they did whatever it was they supposedly did. Not always proven but this examining of people often brings them into disrepute. This bringing people who stand tall in our communities back to ground level is called “tall poppy syndrome”.

 

TART: Is a derogative name to call a female. It infers that she is a prostitute or a person of ill-repute.

 

TICKETS: Is what people are said to have on themselves if they skite about themselves. If someone says “Geez, you’ve got tickets on yourself!” It is a mild-mannered, jesting rebuke for skiting.

 

TRACKIE DAKS: Are tracksuit pants for males and females.

 

TROPPO: (1) Originates from people living in a tropical region to describe the mental suffering often occurring during the build up to the ‘wet’ season. Just before the ‘wet’ season, when it is very humid without the cooling benefit of rain, many people suffer a mental breakdown and it is kindly called “Troppo”. If you are going troppo it’s time to go south for some cooler weather conditions.  Air conditioning in buildings has practically eliminated this well documented condition. (2) Loosely used to define someone who you think has acted irrationally or is mentally unstable.

 

TURPS: (1) is a liquid chemical used to strip paint from paint brushes and has many other uses too. (2) Is a term for getting drunk. “Let’s go and get on the Turps” means you have every intention of binge drinking. (3) Had a hard night on the turps means you are recovering from a hangover.

 

TWO UP: Is a gambling game using 2 pennies (or any two coins of the same denomination with a head and tail sides) where the Spinner (who is one of the players in the game) places the two coins on a flat board called a “kip”. The person running the betting calls “Come in Spinner” when all bets are in, and then the spinner tosses the coins into the air. The person who wins the bet is the one who has bet on how they land. It could be 2 heads, 2 tails or “evens” and there can be many winners all from the same coin toss.  

 

It is closely associated with the ANZAC’s as being their game of choice. It is illegal in most Australian states now except on ANZAC day when games are permitted. It can also be played in many of our Casino’s where the conditions are as controlled as possible. The only place I have found in Australia where games are ‘turned a blind eye on’ is well outside the township of Kalgoorlie in Western Australia. When I asked why it was allowed there the answer was very Australian: “If anyone cheated, they’d catch him up long before he could get into town”

 

TRUE BLUE: (1) Means without a doubt, honestly. If someone is said to be “true Blue” they are the real deal.  If something sounds too good to be true but you are told it’s ‘true blue’ then it’s true. (2) If an Australian says they are ‘true blue’ then they were born here or have been naturalised and now consider themselves as ‘true blue’ Aussies.

 

U. 

UTE: Short for utility truck. A vehicle designed to be a workhorse on a property or station and yet suitable to take your girlfriend out to the flicks on a Saturday night. It is a 2-4 door vehicle with a tray on the back. Many country towns now have Ute-Musters to show off their Utes.

V. 

VERANDAH OVER THE TOY SHOP: Refers to a man’s beer belly that hangs over his pants.

 

W. 

WIDGIE: Is the female equivalent of a Bodgie. Widgies wore tight skirts with a slit up the back, form-fitting blouses with low plunging fronts and very short dyed black hair. Bodgies and Widgies were every parent’s nightmare.

 

WIGWAM: “A wigwam for a Gooses bridal” is often told to kids to get them to stop asking questions that you don’t want to answer. This answer usually fascinates them enough to ask “what’s a gooses bridal?”

 

WOBBLY: Means to throw a temper tantrum or ‘loose your cool’. If someone “throws a wobbly” they are off-balance and angry or upset.

 

WOG: If you say you have “caught a wog” it means you have caught some virus bug going around which is making you unwell. 

 

 WOWSER: (1) is someone who spoils everyone’s fun. (2) A wowser is a peculiarly Australian terminology to describe a character type who is determined to impose their point of view on everyone else regardless of others  belief’s.  (3) It can honestly be said that wowser’s are no fun to have around.

Y. 

YAKKA: (1) Means hard (usually) physical work or (2) refers to a brand of hardy work clothes designed by Yakka for hard physical work.

            

 

      

   

 

        

 

     

      

     

Topics: Food and Entertainment, Videos | No Comments »

Controlling Diabetes

By admin | March 14, 2008

To View Videos on Diabetes go to www.mumsvideo.com/diabetes 

Diabetes has become and epidemic that affects millions of people worldwide. What was once a disease more common in western societies is now becoming prevalent in the rest of the world. Controlling blood sugars can be difficult and at times, overwhelming. Offered here you will find 5 tips to help you manage your diabetes and keep you blood glucose levels under control.

1. Eat a low carbohydrate, low glycemic diet. The idea is to eat a diet that will keep your blood sugars from spiking. When you eat a diet rich in sugars or simple carbohydrates, your sugars quickly climb. If you are not able to produce adequate insulin, or if your cells are becoming insulin resistant, then your blood sugars are going to rise to an unsafe level, you will likely gain weight, and you will put a stress on your cardiovascular system.

Eating a diet low in sugar and rich in fiber will help to keep your sugars stable. You will likely find that you will require less insulin if you have to take it at all. High fiber diets also support healthy weight levels and keep you from snacking as they make you feel full throughout the day.

2. A proper amount of exercise is critical to controlling blood glucose levels. This includes aerobic, strength training, and flexibility exercises. Adequate exercise helps the body to burn up glucose. Aerobic exercise is also very important to keep a healthy heart and cardiovascular system which is damaged by prolonged periods of high blood sugar levels. Weight training is great for burning up sugars too. Weight training also keeps sugars burning for hours after finishing the work out. Flexibility exercises like yoga or even stretches help to burn sugar and to manage stress as stress is a factor in high blood sugars.

3. Diabetics need to sleep for 7 and a half to 9 hours of sleep a night. Too little or too much sleep causes stress, and stress is a cause of high blood sugar levels. One study that was done on diabetics showed that those who got less sleep or interrupted sleep tended to have worse blood sugar levels compared to their well rested diabetic peers. Hemoglobin A1c levels were also much worse among those who got too little or poor quality sleep. Another reason to get adequate levels of sleep is to regulate hormone levels. Many hormones are produced overnight while sleeping and remember, insulin is a hormone.

About the Author: The Author, Mike Fletcher recommends visiting Type 2 Diabetes Management for more information on Diabetes and your health.

To view videos on managing diabetes go to www.mumsvideo.com/diabetes

Topics: Health, Videos | No Comments »

Google Adwords

By admin | March 11, 2008

Compilation of Videos for Google Adwords available here 

Adwords Advantage

Starting out with Google Adwords and using keywords can be a very daunting and expensive experience when you don’t fully understand what you are doing.  Not only is it daunting, it can be horrendously expensive and if not careful, can put you into debt for months.

If you do some homework first, and understand precisely what you are looking for, then you have a definite advantage. This advantage can put you well ahead of the pack and put you way out front of any potential competition. Firstly, you need to understand what words will make you money and which ones will cost you ‘big time’.

To be honest, it takes time to learn. It takes time to fully understand the metrics and nuances. There are a lot of excellent tools now on the market that can assist you but up until now, you have had to surf a lot of websites to find them. Often by the time you have read through all the other ’stuff’ one has to sift through, then you’ve often forgotten what your question was you were looking to have answered.  Not only that, you have taken a lot of other good information ‘on board’ and are suffering what is termed “information overload”.

This confusing state is a mind-numbing experience. You become so tentative and so unsure of what it is you understand this far about using Google Adwords that you tend not to do anything for fear of making a terrible and costly mistake. This lack of action, combined with the information overload leads you to do nothing. The thing most people tend to do is continue learning; leading to a further state of information overload and the whole cycle seems to continue unabated.  That is what happened to me and I’m sure I’m not “Robinson Crusoe”.

So I went and did something about it. I found a site www.mumsvideo.com/adwords    where all the good videos teaching me about how to use the various programmes, what I was looking for and why I was looking for particular metrics and nuances are all in one place, all related to Google Adwords, so I never have to go off site and get confused learning extra information that only confuses the PPC and Google Adwords learning experience more.

These videos all relate to finding good keywords; what represents a good keyword and why it is a good keyword.  It is this information that saves you your money and time.

The videos show a variety of tools to use and how to use them. It shows you what to look for in the information that each tool and keyword delivers on the information requested.  The videos even show you how to ask the right questions to get all the right results. Then how you need to understand and interpret those results correctly. This information is invaluable if you are to succeed using any PPC campaign to market your business online today.

View Videos Here

Topics: Google Adwords, Videos | No Comments »


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