…is an Engli***o American to Canadian to Australian to NewZealand expression cross reference list[;)][:o)][:)].
[:D][:D]
Good deal eh! Later eh…Brian.
That is a good idea.Sometimes in England I havn’t got a clue about some US,Assie and Canadian slang words.It’s amazing how a common language can become so diverse!
Sometimes in England people from the South haven’t a clue what people from the North are saying. [}:)] Just listen to a conversation between a Yorkshireman and some one from Cornwall and then throw in for a laugh someone from Liverpool. Been there and done it. It’s a hoot! Least in Oz all we argue about is the pronounciation of the word Castle. [:D]
Don’t forget Texas, it’s a whole new contry [:D][:D]
Great minds think alike, i was thinking the other day about rude words as i do from time to time and after reading about the censorship on this forum, I got the idea that who can say what a rude word is, as some words mean different things in different countries.
I had the idea of sending Rene a list of rude Australian words, so she would know when to be offended but my wife wouldn’t let me. Even many non rude words and phrases can be misunderstood.
I have also been interested in just how our various cultures diverged and when and why. Australian English is between British English and American English but closer to British. For instance we say truck not lorry but bonnet not hood.
Leaving our nations capital Canberra out of it, we have two state capital cities that are more American and the others are more British in their “being” i guess. WW2 changed everything for those two cities and started a definite American lean. I think the battle of the Coral Sea was a big thing; Americans are all proud of that battle, as are we but few know where it is; well I can tell you it’s right here. I live near the capital of Queensland; Brisbane and I come from the other American type city, Sydney capital of NSW (New Sourth Wales).
Here is a slang word that is not a complete Australian word more Sydney, "motsa:
means a helluva lot. And similar “Occer” means very Aussie not very bright, I think it comes from O’Connor but i might be wrong (apol to the Irish)
The talk about people from different places in the UK having trouble talking to each other.I recall ringing home as a teenager to say I was going to be late (I was on the trail of a young lady) and the man that answered the phone was very hard to understand impossible really; I knew him all my life and had no trouble tunderstanding him face to face, he was my father and he came from Glasgow forty years prior.
Can we have a volunteer to send Rene a list of rude words from all our different count
Have I been using words and phrases that have been…nebulous? I am hindered by a Texas Accent and a section of my nation where we have two languages (English/ Spanish) are melding.
If you really want to know about proper Australian slang do a Google search on Bazza Mackenzie. AKA Barry Humphries.
Most of his slang expressions are unrepeatable on this forum.
I am getting a bit old but is Barry Humphries also Dame Edna Everidge and Sir Les Patterson, he is just plain crude withour saying a word.
For you people who don’t know about Dame Edna but she is 6 feet tall bright purple hair and enormpous glasses, typical Melbourne house wife.
Incidentally Melbourne is the capital of Victoria and it and Sydney are and have been violent rivals for as long as I can remember.
Ian
Winston Churchill said: " Great Britain & America, two cultures separated by a common language…"
[#ditto]
I love how words/phrases get turned around. When an American is pissed he’s ln a bad mood, when a Brit (& I think Oz) gets pissed we’re blind drunk. Even here common sayings have two meanings, tomorrow is Wednesday for which I say ‘this Wednesday’, in other parts of the country this would be ‘next Wednesday’ whilst for me ‘next Wednesday’ would be a week away. A common word here if something goes wrong or upsets you is ‘bollocks’, I don’t think the word is used in America. Bollocks are testicles and whilst ‘bollocks’ is used as described above ‘the dogs bollocks’ means something is wonderful. This could go on for ever!
Cheers,
Kim
[tup]