Compendium of Australianisms
English is vast, but the translation industry goal of “Global English” often defaults to American English. Australian English sits precariously between British and American English, and so as a native Australian speaker, I'm constantly having to navigate the tricky line between what sounds natural to me and what's universally understood. While spelling conventions (colour VS color) are readily apparent online, this post lists some of the more tricky Australianisms that almost made their way into my translations.
Vocabulary
Bludge (V) | Bludger (N)
To avoid work and live off the efforts of others. Often a welfare recipient.
American equivalent: Slacker, Freeloader
Example sentence: That guy’s never in on Tuesdays. He’s such a bludger.
Boofy (Adj)
From “boofhead”. Someone/something that is foolish, stupid, or silly. Often big or uncouth
American equivalent: Oafish, Foolish
Example sentence: My golden retriever is so boofy. He doesn’t even realise his own size.
Bucketing Down (Phrasal V)
To rain heavily.
American equivalent: Pouring down
Example sentence: Man, it’s really bucketing down out there.
Take Away (N)
When you order food ‘to-go’ at a restaurant.
American equivalent: Takeout
Example sentence: Let’s get take away tonight.
Carpark (N)
A place to park your car.
American equivalent: Parking lot
Example sentence: I’ll meet you in the carpark.
Checkout Chick (N)
A female cashier.
American equivalent: Cashier.
Example sentence: I used to work as a checkout chick.
Dag (N) | Daggy (Adj)
Not attractive. Uncool. Unfashionable. Lacking in style.
American equivalent: Tacky, Cheesy, Dorky
Example sentence: Look at you in those daggy undies.
Dob (V) | Dobber (N)
To inform an authority figure of someone else’s wrongdoing.
American equivalent: Tattle, Snitch
Example sentence: I saw that! I’m dobbing on you!
Grey Nomad (N)
A retired person who travels the country for an extended period of time in a caravan.
American equivalent: Full Time RVer
Example sentence: My parents became grey nomads and bought a kombi.
Rort (N)
A scam where you game the system for personal gain.
American equivalent: Scam
Example sentence: This machine took my money! What a rort!
Sea Change / Tree Change (N)
Moving away from the city in favour of the beach/a rural community.
American equivalent: A fresh start (at the beach, in the countryside)
Example sentence: Many people like to make a sea change in their retirement years.
Shout (V)
To pay for someone.
American equivalent: to treat
Example sentence: You wanna go get drinks? My shout.
Sook (V)
Someone who sulks, whinges, or complains.
American equivalent: Crybaby
Example sentence: Go on, go have a sook. You sookie la la!
Squiz (N)
A look. A glance.
American equivalent: A look.
Example sentence: Just gonna take a quick squiz.
Stuff up (V)
To handle a situation badly.
American equivalent: Mess up.
Example sentence: Wow. You sure stuffed that one up.
Whinge (V)
Complain persistently in a peeving or irritating way.
American equivalent: Whine.
Example sentence: Why you gotta whinge like that?
Wonky (adj)
Not straight. Crooked. Unsteady.
American equivalent: Wobbly, Shaky
Example sentence: Dang, my pottery’s all wonky.
Misc
Proper names or quasi-proper names (common nouns or noun phrases that serve to identify their referents uniquely and that are often capitalised in recognition of their proper-like function) often drop the determiner in Australian/British English, but retain it for American English.
Australian/British: Has Central Office sent you the forms yet?
American English: Has the Central Office sent you the forms yet?
Australian/British English tends to refer to stores as the proprietor’s possession, whereas American English refers to the store itself.
Australian/British: I need to go to the baker’s.
American English: I need to go to the bakery.
Australian/British English adds an ‘s’ to many words.
Australian/British: Towards, backwards, amidst
American English: Toward, backward, amid
Australian/British idioms will often use the word ‘have’ where American English will use the word ‘take’ instead.
Australian/British: Have a nap, have a shower, have a day off
American English: Take a nap, take a shower, take a day off
References:
https://www.merriam-webster.com/
Algeo J. Introduction. In: British or American English?: A Handbook of Word and Grammar Patterns. Studies in English Language. Cambridge University Press; 2006:1-8.
