We use them every day, some of us more than others. They make our conversations colourful and interesting, loud and bright, rich and rare...and sometimes seemingly foreign or incomprehensible to visitors to our shores. They derive from a variety of cultural, historical and ethnic sources, and have adapted and evolved over time into a collection of truly original ‘Australian-isms’.
They underline and emphasise the linguistic imprint of who we are as Australians. Some call them ‘Strine’. Others, simply slang or idiom. We like to think of them as Australian ‘Slang-uage’ – Sayings, Slang and Idiom, the Aussie way. Here are some Aussie sayings to ponder:
‘Hello, here’s trouble’, ‘How are you me old china?’, “Howzit garn?’ ‘Saw your light on, thought I’d drop in’, ‘We have to stop meeting like this’
About the Author
Paul Bugeja is a Sydney-based writer, editor, screenwriter and actor. Having studied at the University of Melbourne, the Victorian College of the Arts and RMIT, his interests are broad, ranging from sport to film to politics. He is a member of Actors Equity, the Australian Writers Guild and the NSW Society of Editors. He has had several books published, with others in the pipeline, is working on several feature film and a gaggle of shorts film scripts, and will help write and also act in a version of Lear to be shot in 2014.
Paul made the choice to take the “road less traveled” and that has made the difference...
