quick jump to... what & why   ]- proposal   ]- about arizona   ]- about new zealand   ]- about australia   ]- the goods where am i?   ]- by date   ]- in arizona   ]- in new zealand   ]- in australia references   ]- general   ]- techie   ]- for arizona   ]- for new zealand   ]- for australia photos   ]- picks   ]- gear   ]- the hat news   ]- archives   ]- email list

what? why?

kiwi talk

what & why

introduction just in case anyone is curious how I got this boondoggle... (more)

the proposal Project ideas written in November 1999... (more)

.az = Arizona It's my home state, but I'll relocate to a different part for July-August... (more)

.nz = New Zealand Off to the home of "kiwis" for September - October ... (more)

.au = Australia "G'day, mate!" will be my vocabulary after spending November-December down under... (more)

the goods So what actually came out of this? ... (more)

my glossary of oz talk
Elsewhere I charted some of the kiwi terms I have translated while in New Zealand. Upon arriving later in Australia, I find that quite a few are the same, and I do not know who had them first! But here is a list of jargon I have tracked along the road in Australia.

Disclaimer: This is incomplete, irreverant, and subject to serious question. For a more thorough collection of Ozzie expressions, see How to Spean Australian

bloody = "very", added to almost any expression for added emphasis
"Alan, are you carrying that bloody big duffle bag and all of those bloddy big US dollars all over Oz?"

boot = trunk of a car
"Put Alan's duffle bag in the boot, if it will fit!"

bugger = a strong curse, simialr to one we have that rymes with trucker.
"Alan yelled 'bugger' when that door slammed on his foot"

cheers = "you are welcome" or "so long"
"Cheers, Alan, for that presentation"

chooks = chicken
"AIf you want some Chooks for lunch, Alan, we could go to KFC"

cobber = a colleague/friend of the highest caliber
"Hey Alan, you are one fine cobber for giving us those web pages"

dear = expensive
"Those fancy dinners Alan ate must have been dear"

dodgy = run down, crappy, poorly constructed
"Alan, that cheap hotel you chose is one dodgy place to stay"

esky = an ice chest
"Alan, there ar eplenty of cold stubbies in the Esky"

feral = undesirable
"Alan, that crowd for your presentaion is looking pretty mean and feral."

fair dinkum = pretty special, worthy of envy
"Alan, your graphite iBook is one fair dinkum computer"

good on ya = boisterous approval, good for you!
"You're going down to Bondi, Alan? Good on ya, mate!"

heaps = much, many, a lot
"That large duffle bag Alan brought has heaps of stuff in it"

long black = a black coffee, espresso strength
"Alan is drinking heaps of long blacks to stay up and work on his web site"

mate = friend, buddy, or what you use when you have forgotten someone's name you should know
"Hey Alan, thanks for coming to 'Stralia, mate!"

mexicans = how people from New South Wales refer to people from Victoria, like "south of the border" [poor taste, I just report 'em]
"Alan, in November you will be down among all of the mexicans"

mozzies = mosquitos
"Put on some spray Alan or the mozzies will eat you alive"

no worries = no problem, no big deal
"So Alan, you want to bungy jump at night? No worries!"

panelbeaters = people who repair auto dents (hopefully not descriptive of their methods)
"Hopefully, Alan's rental car will not require a trip to the panelbeaters"

pokies = poker machines
"Alan, you will need a pile of dollars coinds to play the pokies."

punter = horse race better
"Alan was among the other punters betting big bucks on the Melbourne Cup"

rubbish tip = landfill
"Those clothes in Alan's duffel bag were so awful smelling that we dumped them in the rubbish tip"

septic tank = an American (rhymes with "Yank"?) [attr. Allan M]
"Alan from Arizona is okay... for a septic tank"

singlet = Tanktop
"Alan, if you want to go into that nice restaurant you need a regular shirt, you cannot get in wearing a singlet."

shout = to treat others to beer or food
"Since Alan has those US dollars, he should shout us all a beer"

station = a large ranch
"Alan, if you want to see where wool comes from you should come out to our station and round some sheep up!"

stubbie = Beer in a glass bottle
"Hey Alan, how about grabbing a six pack of Carlton Gold stubbies?"

stuffed = screwed up badly
"Alan told us our web design was sorely stuffed"

Susan = best guess for an Ozzie woman's name
"Alan said 'Hi Susan' to every woman at that meeting!"

swishy = beautiful, attractive as in a woman [attr. the bike rental guy in Canberra]
"Alan, that photo of Natalie in your wallet, she is swishy!"

Tazzie = Tasmania
"Alan, if you want to go to Tazzie you should fly or take a boat- it is an island!"

whingeing = a person who is contantly complaining
"It's a nice 15 degrees, so why is Alan whingeing about the temperature?"