Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
This silly article in Stuff made me laugh this morning. It's obviously meant in jest as some of these word/phrases aren't really used that much How to speak 'Strayan | Stuff.co.nz Sheilas and drongos? I think not more like chicks and derros these days.
Quote:
"Aussies are so lacking in imagination that instead of coming up with a unique name for their portable coolers, they named them after the dominant brand"
Beats calling them chully buns I suppose . But it's no different from us Brits and Americans calling vacuum cleaners "hoovers" that's not so much lacking imagination as stating the obvious (see chilly bins). This type of criticism is unusual from Kiwis as they usually proud of their own predilection for calling a spade a spade, as are Australians.
What are your favourite 'Strayan and Kiwi colloquialisms?
This silly article in Stuff made me laugh this morning. It's obviously meant in jest as some of these word/phrases aren't really used that much How to speak 'Strayan | Stuff.co.nz Sheilas and drongos? I think not more like chicks and derros these days.
Beats calling them chully buns I suppose . But it's no different from us Brits and Americans calling vacuum cleaners "hoovers" that's not so much lacking imagination as stating the obvious (see chilly bins). This type of criticism is unusual from Kiwis as they usually proud of their own predilection for calling a spade a spade, as are Australians.
What are your favourite 'Strayan and Kiwi colloquialisms?
I've never heard an American say hoover for a vacuum cleaner in general, and I lived here my whole life. Anyway, my favorite would be Fosters isn't Australian
As crook as Rookwood -
Face like a dropped pie
Firies
Full as a centipede's sock drawer -
Go off like a frog in a sock
He needs that like a third armpit
He played a Barry
Kangaroos loose in the top paddock -
Like a mad woman's breakfast
Like a shag on a rock
Mad as a meat-axe
May your chooks turn into emus and kick your dunny door down
Neck oil
Popular as a rattle snake in a lucky dip
Two-pot screamer
Up and down like a bride's nightie / up and down like a dunny seat
I haven't heard of most of your list, but firies (firefighters) is very common. More common that firefighters IME.
I have been compiling my personal mental list of lesser-known vocab differences between Australia and the US, usually discovered the hard way. Here's a sample (AU/US).
Tip/landfill
Lift/elevator
Fortnight/two-weekly
Maccas/Macdonalds
Burger or sub etc/sandwich
Soft drink/soda OR pop, but never sodapop
Most recent Australian colloquialism I've had to explain: Buckley's - when asked what our chances were in the World Cup.
Good list jehane, especially the fortnight/two-weekly. Another one I have to double check on is when some people say next week and mean the week after next. Some people do it whilst others don't so it can get confusing at times.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
more like chicks and derros these days.
. But it's no different from us Brits and Americans calling vacuum cleaners "hoovers" that's not so much lacking imagination as stating the obvious (see chilly bins). This type of criticism is unusual from Kiwis as they usually proud of their own predilection for calling a spade a spade, as are Australians. 
