h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I dreaded this, I really did. Like most casual works on the nature of Aussie slang, this one is outdated and parochial. Woah, that was a wanky sentence, wasn't it? What I mean is, while there are a few common universally Australian words in this list, quite a few are largely never heard anymore outside of Burke ("Gateway to the Outback" - somewhere near the Black Stump) and many of the others are localised examples.

Every state, for example, has a different name for a standard glass of beer; "Pot," "Midi," "Pony" - they all mean the same thing, but if you ask for a midi (or middy...slang doesn't really have stndardised spelling) in a Victorian pub they'll likely give you a funny look and a light beer.

My main point is: please don't come to Australia and expect us to understand a word of this slang, and if we do, don't be offended if we laugh at you. Oh, and don't believe what you hear about koalas exploding in bush fires, either.

Gee Mate. Don't come the raw prawn with us. We all know that Koalas really go my the name of Drop Bears for their habit of jumping out of gum trees and ripping the throats out of Pommy tourists. That's why they are protected The Koalas that is, not the Pommies.

Gee Mate. Don't come the raw prawn with us. We all know that Koalas really go my the name of Drop Bears for their habit of jumping out of gum trees and ripping the throats out of Pommy tourists. That's why they are protected The Koalas that is, not the Pommies.

While I agree with you about the diverse nature of the Australian language, I did recognise every word in the list, and make regular use of many of the words in it. But then I'm a cane toad (see also banana bender). I suspect many Mexicans, and especially those from the Deep South (the home of the Green Death (VB)) are bit more couth.

BTW, my nickname, given to me when I was at Uni does not refer to the large carnivorous animal, but rather to "Parking a Tiger". An activity that may occur after consuming most of a slab of XXXX. (Not the prophylactic - that is commonly called a fred)

WOHOO!!! I liked this article. Finally one that I feel at home. I am a Cane Toad born and bred, but now I am a Mexican. Don't ask me why I did it, as I love QLD, just that I needed a break from the 'Beautiful one day, Perfect the next'.

I only go to about half way through C, but I recognised about 95% of the slang. Some of it is of course State specific, but hey that's what you get when you live in this Big Brown Land of ours.

Oh, I think I get what you are going on about your Nick. I went to Sydney for a Research Scholarship a few years ago, and on the first week we went for drinks. I had a few too many skooners, and from then on my nick was Ralph. Oh, and XXXX, why the heck do I have to go to some dingy little back street pub to find XXXX. In QLD they have Vomit Beer.. er VB.

Enough ramblings, better go.

Gee guys, guess where I got my nickname (see above). All I have to say on the matter is that this is nowhere near a definitive guide to Aussie slang. For a start, it's not called Aussie slang, it's called strine.(Try saying Australian without the Au, and while saying it quickly.) There's many other expressions I can think of just off the top of my head. eg Date = anus, Boofhead = idiot, Chock-a-block = full, T'Othersider = anyone not from Western Australia (We're so good, we just use one name for all the rest of the boofheads, and one mentioned below; seppo = American (rhyming slang. seppo = septic tank = yank) goon = cheap wine, map of Tassie = female genitalia. Possibly you might want to update the Strine list a little more yet...

What, you mean "doo doo doo - We Like!"? I thought all Banana Benders said "but" at the end of every sentance...or not?

There's also the whole 'tea', 'dinner', or whatever bloody well else thing... different from state to state and especially out in the sticks (was that one in there?).

Ah well.

AHHHH!

Also - it's not "Chuck another shrimp on the barbie", well, it was in the movie, but that was just so those stupid bloody yanks would understand it... it should be 'prawn', not 'shrimp', shouldn't it?

AND...Does anyone know John Marsden? He's the author of the whole "Tomorrow when the War Began" series, when he sold the books in the US, they had to change 'Milo' to 'Cocoa', cos they didn't know what Milo was!

Anyhoo... that's my two pence worth....whatever