Evolution of Colonial English Accents - Australia and New Zealand

[Miss Sis]

Ha ha! lol lol lol I like Pack a sad - it's just very funny somehow.

But Smithy, I don't know some of your sayings. How is this possible in such a small place as NZ????

Another one my Mum uses that I haven't heard anywhere else:

'She's got a face like a case of sour lemons'

 

[Smithy]

Ha ha! lol lol lol I like Pack a sad - it's just very funny somehow.

But Smithy, I don't know some of your sayings. How is this possible in such a small place as NZ????

Another one my Mum uses that I haven't heard anywhere else:

'She's got a face like a case of sour lemons'

Some of the ones I posted are Aussie ones I heard when living in Sydney as well Miss Sis so an Antipodean mixed bag

Talking of faces here's another one (an Aussie one)...

"(S)he's got a face like a slapped arse with a hat on it!"

One of the best ones I have heard being back home this time and it's a new one to me is:

"Waitakere Daiquiri" for bourbon and coke - the good Westie staple. I heard it at a do a couple of weeks ago and laughed so much I threw my drink (not a Waitakere Daiquiri though) all over myself

 

[BellyTank]

Ah, the "Waitakere Daiquiri"- being a Westie myself...
...and it used to be a rum and coke.

I've always used "...don't know him from a teapot".

"Pack a Sad" is funny, especially when you've been away from the culture and are looking back at it, out of context.

I've forgotten all of this stuff- in fact, I don't think I can always pick the difference between Australian and New Zealand accents anymore.

Shocking.



B
T

 

[Smithy]

...and it used to be a rum and coke.

That was a Mark Todd with my mates. The reasoning is a tad rude so I won't explain it here but I reckon you can work it out.

I've forgotten all of this stuff- in fact, I don't think I can always pick the difference between Australian and New Zealand accents anymore.
\

I always have a bit of a shock when I come back after being away for a bit. Living in Norway where the only English you hear is with a Norwegian accent, or British or American accents from the telly, coming back I have a few days where everything sounds a bit odd. Difficult to explain but I'd imagine you know what I'm talking about.

 

[Talbot]

I'm not sure this is true, but I'd heard somewhere that a lot of the strine accent had to do with not opening your mouth too widely lest the blowies get in.

Sounded pretty silly to me, but then I remember the clouds of blowies last I was in the Mallee, so who knows. They are pretty ferocious, and the early settlers wouldn't have had much to keep the dunny budgies down, so who knows[huh]

A couple more old sayings

Flat as a night carters hat

A smile like a crack in a rice custard

 

[Smithy]

dunny budgies

You have to love Aussie slang. That put a smile on the old dial Talbot, thanks

 

[miss_elise]

Pack a sad

never heard this one... but have known people to "crack a sad"

 

[Artigas]

As a child, Sam Neill started using the name "Sam" in place of his given name "Nigel" because of the kiwi expression "Nigel no-mates" for someone with no friends.

 

[splatt]

some oldies but some goodies....

"Back of Bourke" - a very long way away

"Built like a brick shit house" - a big strong bloke

"Chucking a sickie" - pretending to be sick so you can take a day off work

"Flat out like a lizard drinking" - a reference to being busy

"To do the Harold Holt" - to leave somewhere quickly (Harold Holt was an Australian Prime Minister who disappeared while swimming in 1967)

"You bloody galah!" - an idiot

Wikipedia has an interesting collection of Australian rhyming slang and a good page on Australian English vocabulary as well.

 

[KeyGrip]

Q: What do you call an Outback breakfast?

A: A pi$$ and a look around.

 

[Talbot]

Q: What do you call an Outback breakfast?

A: A pi$$ and a look around.

Don't tell them that at the 'Outback Steakhouse' they'll be f@rting sparks!

(serves them right, I had never heard of a bloomin onion till I went there)

 

[Talbot]

You have to love Aussie slang. That put a smile on the old dial Talbot, thanks

Dunny Budgies, also known as Butchers Canaries

One I just remembered for when you don't get something 'Are those ears painted on?'

 

[tuppence]

Hairy Arthur

My grandfathers name was Arthur,
My father was born in '35,
When he was young bloke he'd go and sit in the tree while his Dad mowed the lawn.
An old bloke used to ride past and call out to Arthur.
After quite a few times, My Dad completely puzzled asked his Father..
"why he let the old bloke call him HAIRY Arthur"
It turns out that the old bloke was actually yelling out
" HOOROO Arthur"
So that was generally the term used for stuff ups in my family

 

[Mojito]

"Waitakere Daiquiri" for bourbon and coke - the good Westie staple. I heard it at a do a couple of weeks ago and laughed so much I threw my drink (not a Waitakere Daiquiri though) all over myself

Or the nickname for Bundy and coke in a can - "Bogan Juice"!

One that's certainly vintage is the term for lemonade and other non-alcoholic drinks - "Lollywater". My father still recalls wine being referred to disparagingly in the Sydney 1950s journalist community as "Lollywater".

 

[KeyGrip]

Don't tell them that at the 'Outback Steakhouse' they'll be f@rting sparks!

Thats spark line's a good one. I'll keep it in mind as an alternative to the one about bricks.

 

[Smithy]

Some more old favourites, mostly Kiwi ones...

"Running around like a blue arsed fly"
"Mad as a meat axe"
"The last brass razzoo"
"Blokes a crate, ladies a plate"
"(S)He Couldn't lie straight in bed"
"Useful as tits on a bull"
"In the wopwops"
"Off like a bride's nightie"
"Full as a bitucher's dog"
"Two shakes of a lamb's tail"

 

[Miss_Bella_Hell]

You know, I was listening to NPR today and every once and awhile this woman comes on who is a linguistic scholar. She says that the reason the Brits and Americans have different accents is not because we lost our accents but that the Brits gained one. That was completely fascinating to me! They have grammar and elocution books that prove it, as well as a critique of a famous poet for rhyming "thorn" with "fawn." It only rhymed when you used the new manner of speaking at the time.

 

[Talbot]

I bet bogan juice tastes better wearing dandenong dinner shoes (moccasins).

An old digger I know refers to rough wine as 'Stuka Juice' (great name for a cocktail). When he wants a beer, he says 'Its time for a Tarax'.

'I'm full as a country dunny'
'I'm dolly's wax'
'I'm full as a race train'
'My stomach thinks my throat's been cut'
'I could eat a horse and chase the rider'
'Fair suck of the sav'

 

[Smithy]

'Fair suck of the sav'

Haha! It was only a matter of time till that one popped up.

One a flatmate of mine in Sydney used to often use, usually trying to drum up someone to go down to the pub with...

"Don't just sit there like a lily on a sh!t tin!"

 

[lolly_loisides]

The movie to watch for Aus sayings is "The Adventures of Barry Mackenzie".

Two of my favorite Bazza sayings are I need to point Percy at the porcelain, strain the potatoes....

Dons Party is also a favourite