I just spent a couple of weeks in Australia, a “Commonwealth realm” of Britain. Knowing that close relationship, I was not surprised to hear many typical British words used in Australia.
[Reminder: Be careful if you go there because Australians also drive on the left side of the roadway and walk on the left side of a sidewalk. 😉]
- Hikes are measured by the “huff and puff meter” [how difficult the hike might be]
- A driver’s comment: “That yellow light is a bit late” [explaining why he ran a red light]
- Trash is called “rubbish.” [That may explain why we have the expression, “That’s a load of rubbish.” 😊]
- Our “exit” is called the “way out”
- To “yield” is to “give way”
- On an airplane, what we call the overhead “bin” where carry-ons are stored is called the overhead “locker.”
- On an airplane or ferry, “Please take your designated seat” becomes “Please take your allocated seat.”
- One of my nephews who has lived in Australia for a couple of years told me that almost everything and everyone has an “ie” added to the word. [For example, what Americans would call a subcontractor, or a sub, is called a “subbie” in Australia.]
- Chardonnay wine is called a “chardy”
- Almost all sandwiches (all?) are served on toasted bread. So, a cheese and ham sandwich is a “cheese and ham toastie.”
- And breakfast is called a “brekky.”
Fun, eh?
I’ve heard Barby for BBQ.
Haha, considering a few people have called me Barbie – not a bad association, yes? Good food with fun people!
I was out surfing the other day and heard someone refer to fireman as firies (fire-ees). I feel that it kinda takes away from the severity of the job? I’m sure they don’t feel that way but it’s hard for my American ears to take it seriously!
Eric, I completely agree that making fireman sound cute defeats the meaning!
Fun! Do they use ‘boot’ for trunk? Is it AKA a ‘bootie’? Everything sounds cuter in Aussie speak.
Cindi, that’s super funny!
I found some more Aussie terms and spellings from reading a book by an Australian author. I also remembered something from my trip.
For you writers, only single quotation marks were used, not the double quotation marks we use.
A flashlight is called a “torch.”
Tires are spelled tyres.
The rocker switches for lights work in the opposite direction from America: push the upper end of the switch to turn the light off; push the bottom end to turn the light on.