How to speak Australian

Can you put my carton of piss in the eskie? Ta.
or
The bub dropped her dummy on the bitumen while I was getting a nappy out of the pram.

It’s not code, a secret language, or just plain disgusting. It’s the Aussie language and by the time you finish this post I guarantee you’ll be well prepared should you ever find yourself in Oz.

Below I've compiled a list of all the Australian/American translations that I could come up with in one sitting.

A couple disclaimers - Please note that for some words, both forms of the word may be used in both countries. For example, some people in the US use the word Aunty for Aunt but in Australia Aunty is exclusively used so I’ve included translations where there’s a strong tendency of one form over the other.

Secondly – from the perspective of a North American, Aussie English is at times very similar to Pommie English (see POM below). This isn’t to say that Australian isn’t a language of its own but more often than not it’s more similar to Pommie English than Yankee English (see Yank below).

Finally - Fosters is not Australian for beer and you don't throw another shrimp on the barbie.

The basics - pronunciation and spelling:
H pronounced hach (hey-ch)
Z pronounced zed (soft z and soft e)
Replace o with ou
Replace z with s
Sometimes replace i with y as in tyre, and
Reverse r and e as in centre

Australian/American

Education
College/high school
University/college
Kindy or kindergarten/US equivalent to pre-school
Pre-kindy (no need to explain)
Tertiary/advanced degree

People
Bloke/dude
Bird/woman (sheila is a dying Aussie word)
Mate/friend
Mum/mom
Aunty/aunt
Me/my
Nanny or nana/grandmother
Poppy or pop/grandfather
Bub/baby
Bogan/red neck
Yanks/Americans
POMs/British (Prisoners Of her Majesty)

Clothing and Essentials
Pram/stroller
Nappy/diaper
Dummy/pacifier
Bathers or boardies/swimsuit or board shorts
Runners/tennis shoes or running shoes
Sunnies or goggles/sunglasses or glasses
Jumper/sweater
Jumper/sports jersey
Purse/wallet
Bag/purse
Mobile/cell phone

Food and Dining Out
Tea/dinner
Morning or afternoon tea/morning or afternoon snack
Prawn/shrimp
Lollies/candy
Serviette/napkin
Mains/entré
Entre/appetizer or starter
Long black/coffee
Short black/espresso
Flat white/latte
Pub/bar
Biscuit/cookie or cracker
Nibbles/snacks or finger foods
Tea towel/kitchen towel
Eskie/cooler
Chips/fries
*Chips are still potato chips but in the UK they are crisps
Carton/case
Capsicum/bell peppers
Salad cream/salad dressing
Bottlo or bottle shop/liquor store
Sugars/sugar (don't ask)
Rockmellon/cantelope
Chewie/gum
Cuppa/cup of tea or coffee
Fairy Floss/cotton candy
Toastie/toasted sandwich
Maccas/Mcdonalds
Hungry jacks or HJ’s/burger king

In case you find yourself in the hospital
Jab/injection
Tablets/pills
Thrush/yeast infection (sorry, had to share that one, it makes me giggle because I hate the word thrush)
Theatre/operating room

Getting Around
Bush/country
Lift/elevator
Toilette/bathroom (it's perfectly appropriate to ask where the toilette is)
*dunny (toilette) is another dying Aussie word
Car park/parking lot
Cbd/downtown (central business district)
Footpath/sidewalk
Petrol/gas
Push bike/bicycle
Bitumen/pavement
Number plates/license plates
Shops/store
Trolly/shopping cart
Voucher/gift card
Postal code/zip code
Stocktake/inventory (i.e. a department store may have a stocktake sale)
Tip/dump

Around the House
Rubbish/trash
Rubbish bin/trash can
Boot/trunk (of a car)
Dog’s lead/dog’s leash
Lounge/living room
Wardrobe/closet (clothing)
Swag/sleeping bag
Sticky tape/tape (again, don't ask)
Badge/pin (as in "flare" or a ribbon pin to signify cancer awareness)

Greetings and other phrases
Ta/thank you
Cheers/thank you or good-bye or used when signing off on an email
Good on ya/good for you
G’day (I don’t need to explain this one but it’s not often used to be honest)
fair dinkum/ fair enough
Reckon/think (as in do you reckon?)

Then there's the overusage of words like brilliant, lovely, gorgeous, or you beauty pronounced as youuuu beeuuuty!  These are the equivalent to words such as cool, awesome, fabulous or fantastic in the US.

Adults only
Bloody (swear word of choice)
Root/sex
Piss/beer
Pissed/drunk
Jocks/men’s underware
Knickers/women’s underware
Sunday session (excessive drinking at the pub on a Sunday afternoon)
Bum/butt
Fanny/vagina (hence a fanny pack becomes a bum bag for obvious reasons)

Unintentionally funny
Rubber/eraser
Thongs/flip flops

Other
Holiday/vacation
Annual leave/vacation (in terms of taking days off work)
Superannuation/401k (referred to as super)
Surname/last name
Full stop/period (as in firstname.surname)
Cyclone/hurricane
Autumn/fall
Fringe/bangs
Roo/kangaroo

When in doubt, shorten the word and add y, ie, or o. 
This separates the Aussies from all other English languages.

Tv/telly
Football/footy
Present/pressy
Breakfast/breaky
Christmas/Chrissy
Bar-b-que/barbie
Mosiquito/mossy
Brickie/brick layer
Tradie/tradesman
Arvo/afternoon
Rego/registration
Servo/service station

Fremantle



The port city of Fremantle is mysterious, unexpected, historical, eclectic, and dark yet delightful. It’s a place where creative types, backpacking travelers, the outlandish, and locals converge. It’s also the home of my favorite old church with sunshine colored doors, my favorite Italian restaurant, my favorite Asian food court, my favorite gelato and finally (deep breath) my favorite organic, rice bran oil, no trans fat, low saturated fat, GMO free, cinnamon sugar doughnuts - surprisingly mouth watering and thankfully only available on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday when the Fremantle Markets are open.

Fremantle IS my favorite corner of Perth. Located at the mouth of the Swan River, 19 kilometers west of the city, Fremantle has a vibrant urban appeal that in many ways Perth lacks.

Fremantle was founded in 1825 as a part of the Swan River Colony and the facades of many of the buildings still display their 19th century charm. Equally old churches appear to flag the ends of Fremantle’s main streets but churches aren’t the only reminder of the days of the Swan River Colony.

Sitting high on a hill alongside the Indian Ocean is the Round house – an eight cell prison and the oldest standing building in WA and first permanent building of the Swan River Colony. At the other end of town sits the much larger Fremantle Prison built in the 1850’s. Today it operates as a popular tourist attraction. Fremantle is a glorious example of Australia’s British convict history which adds to the intrigue and mysticism surrounding the city.

Although the Fremantle of the 1800’s still lingers like a tenacious ghost, the city streets of today are alive with trendy cafes, restaurants, and shops. The smell of coffee fills the morning streets while the scent of garlic and wood fire ovens will guide you to one of the areas many Italian restaurants during the days and nights.

But there’s also a seedy side to Fremantle. In between the charming shops and colorful cafes are tattoo parlors, questionable adult shops, fortune tellers, new age stores filled with promises of a better future, and an abundance of souvenir shops. Along the wharf sits large abandoned warehouses with no signs of rehabilitation. In Fremantle, anything goes and it’s this mix of new and old, sordid and sophisticated that gives Fremantle its personality.

The town itself is only half the equation. Every day ships from all over the world dock in Fremantle’s Harbor. We are fortunate to live just outside “Freo’s” doorstep and every time Shane and I pass the docks on our way to the beach one of us comments on the enormity of a standing ship as if it were the first time we had seen such a thing.

It’s not only cargo ships that grace Fremantle’s shores but yachts and fishing boats of all sizes can be viewed from Fisherman’s Wharf over a meal of fish and chips from one of the many seafood restaurants. Next door sits the Maritime Museum filled with stories of sunken ships and the history of WA’s first explorers.

A day in Fremantle would be at the top of my list for anyone visiting Perth. Friday through Sunday the Fremantle Markets are open which sell everything from produce to patchouli and my favorite organic, rice bran oil, no trans fat, low saturated fat, GMO free, cinnamon sugar doughnuts.

remains of the past

Maritime Museum

Scots Presbyterian

Fremantle Markets

Town Hall

Cafes on South Terrace

old warehouse

Wharf

High Street with the Round House prison at the end

an old facade disguising a parking lot

Round House prison

High Street from the Round House

Fisherman's Wharf

Travel with a Mate

Check out my article on Perth here on the travel site Travel with a Mate !

Disaster in Paradise

Australia has been placed in the world spotlight under unfortunate circumstances. The state of Queensland is under water. Here in Perth, we’re hundreds of miles from the devastation, instead sweltering in 100 degree heat with no rain. But Australia is a country big in size yet small in population and the Queensland floods are top of mind for all Australians.

When news of the floods first surfaced shortly before Christmas, I didn’t give it much thought. It rains a lot in Queensland, particularly this time of year, and flooding isn’t entirely unusual. I also have a low opinion of television news and find it difficult to judge the severity of any situation they profile.

But as the weeks have progressed and the situation has worsened, it’s become clear that this is truly a natural disaster on a grand scale - literally - because hundreds of kilometers of land are covered in water. This week the banks of the Brisbane River engulfed Brisbane’s central business district, leaving thousands in the city homeless and making a situation that was largely confined to rural areas begin to feel very real for those of us living in major cities.

Natural disasters never cease to amaze me and I’ve now succumbed to the media coverage- shaking my head in despair at the site of people being lifted from the roofs of their homes and families trapped inside cars being swept away by dangerous currents. As far as natural disasters are concerned the loss of life could be worse - currently 15 people have died and another 55 are missing - but, it’s the homes, communities, infrastructure, and agriculture which will take years to restore that will have the greatest impact.

Lance Armstrong recently arrived in Australia for a cycling event and announced that he’s made a personal contribution of $50,000. Last week, tennis star Andy Roddick, who was also in Australia, made a personal contribution of $10,000. Closer to home, the state of WA sent over $1 million and has offered to send over other assistance where needed.

In a news brief amidst the around the clock flood coverage, it’s announced that 400 people have died in a mudslide in Brazil and we’re reminded of the 1 year anniversary of the earthquakes in Haiti which claimed 200,000 lives. There is no doubt the communities of Queensland will have the resources and support to recover from this disaster but I’m left feeling a bit sad about the hundreds and thousands of people in parts of the world which are not so fortunate.

Over water cooler chatter this week, Shane announced to colleagues that in a disaster situation I’d save the dog and leave him to fend for himself. But he was only being nice because the truth is I’d flee the house with Bronson under one arm, laptop under the other, while barking demands at him to grab the remainder of our valuables and a suitcase of clothing and to lock the door on the way out.

In Queensland, they too are making light of horrible situation. The statue at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane has been fitted with floaties and a snorkel to survive the several feet of water that has engulfed the stadium.

And the number one requested item at the relief centers is thongs (flip-flops). It’s good to see that in times of despair, Aussie’s still have their priorities straight.

Go!Overseas

Thanks to Go!Overseas  for adding me as one of their favorite Aussie blogs!

New Year's in Margaret River

We rang in 2011 on a friend's farm in Margaret River.   In June I wrote about wine, chocolate, and other indulgences in Margaret River.

On 1/1/11* we spent the day bumming around the area visiting a couple beaches and hitting up a local ice creamery.  I thought I'd share a few photos of what 1/1/11* looked like in Margaret River. 

*I love this date because it represents the same date in both Australia and the US.  In Australia the dates are reversed so today is 3/1/11 and not 1/3/11.

Hamelin Bay

Hamelin Bay

Karri forest



Karri trees



Caves Road

houses of Prevelly

Prevelly

kite surfers and wind surfers at Prevelly

kite surfers and wind surfers at Prevelly

Christmas in summer

For my first Christmas in Australia I sent cards depicting satirical Aussie Christmases. Santa at the beach in a swim suit, surrounded by Kangaroos and Kookaburras. Or Santa playing cricket with his elves, again on the beach. These cards are a rather fair assessment of Christmas down under. In the morning, many people head down to the beach before gathering for a family lunch of turkey, ham and prawns.

The thermometer on Christmas day reached 40 degrees Celsius or 105 Fahrenheit. When the temperature nears the 37 degree mark we typically find ourselves camping out in our lounge room with the air-conditioning. Shane woke me up at midnight on Christmas Eve to announce that he’d had enough and was moving into the lounge room. Bronson and I decided to join him on the foam mattress. Thus far, no sign of Santa was visible. We woke up around 6am with the sun already high in the sky and exchanged gifts.

As I stared at the fireplace in our old brick home I wondered how Santa brought gifts to the majority of children across Australia with no fireplace. As a child Shane had a small iron stove for a fireplace at one house. But, if you don’t have a fireplace? Well, he just walks through the front door of course.

Otherwise, Christmas is pretty much the same. People (although not quite as many) hang lights on their homes, kids sit on Santa’s lap at the mall, and everyone scrambles to finish their gift buying at 5pm on Christmas Eve. Many Australians talk of someday having a white Christmas overseas and photos of snowmen and children sledding grace many holiday items.

There is however, one added bonus to Christmas in OZ. The following day is Boxing Day which is a popular day to watch cricket and unwind from the festivities of the previous day. Once again we headed to the beach in the morning and then sat in our air-conditioned lounge and watched cricket until joining Shane’s family for a Boxing Day dinner.

With Christmas and Boxing Day falling on the weekend, Monday and Tuesday were public holidays. We drove down to Bunbury, 1.5 hours south of Perth, and spent the next two days skiing with friends at a sheltered beach ideal for water skiing.

On Monday, I was the last person to ski for the day. Our boat had been out of commission for several months so it was the first time I had skied since last summer. When our friend Matt dropped me off on the beach they quickly scurried me and the two dogs (the skier welcoming committee) out of the water. Matt was rather certain he spotted a four meter shark about five meters from where I skied. We were only 200 meters from our home base so he continued on, hoping I wouldn’t fall. Had I fallen, most likely nothing would have happened. We were one of a few skiers out that day and a shark was never officially spotted. But, it was enough for us to call it a day and take our ski boat to a local lake the following day.

Wishing you a wonderful festive season free of sharks and other unwelcomed surprises and all the best for 2011!

Good Read: The Paperbark Shoe

I enjoy reading. Lying on the beach with a book is one of my favorite leisure activities. I sometimes look forward to long flights - which from Perth is about any flight - because it gives me an excuse to read.  But mostly I read in bed, to wind down at the end of a long day. The challenge, is keeping my eyes open long enough to make it past ten pages, no matter how enthralling the book may be.

I typically keep a running “to read” list and I try to be sure to intersperse Aussie authors into the mix. The winter issue of Scoop, a seasonal publication that is essentially about everything WA (and quite well done I might add) highlighted the novel, The Paperbark Shoe, by West Australian native Goldie Goldbloom. It was the author that initially caught my attention. Goldbloom is Perth-born but has called Chicago her home for over 15 years (I can relate). She is also a Hasidic Jew, gay, and the single mother of eight children. Ok, so I can’t relate. But no doubt, as a single mother of eight, living thousands of miles from home, she has some interesting experiences to draw inspiration from.

The Paperbark Shoe is about Gin and Toad and their two children, set during World War II in the small outback town of Wyalkatchem (a real town) in WA’s Wheatbelt. It is insecurities and not love that bring Gin and Toad together. Gin, a talented musician from a privileged upbringing in Perth feels that as an albino she can do no better than the closeted Toad with his odd fetishes. Their life changes suddenly when two Italian POWs come to work on their farm. This book covers everything from the challenges of being different, tragic love, mismatched love, family dynamics, prejudices, war, distance, infidelity, regrets, to life in a small and very remote town.

I have a particular interest in books set in a different period or foreign place which are fictional yet based on history and this book ticked all the boxes. It’s a fascinating depiction of farming life in WA’s outback during the 1940’s, with insight into the Aussie dialect and the desolate landscape of WA.

A writer of short stories, this is the first novel by Goldbloom. It won the 2008 Association of Writers and Writing Programs’ Novel Award in the US.

Before you hit your local Borders or Barnes and Noble be advised that in the US it goes by the title Toads’ Museum of Freaks and Wonders. Goldbloom explains that she felt the title The Paperbark Shoe would be lost in translation. With the Paperbark tree not being common in the US, she feared it would be interpreted as Paperback.   But you'll have to read the book to learn the significance of the title.  Happy reading.  Let me know what you think!