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Mackies = Mickey D's

Babel it is Mack-ahs. Where did it come from? An affectionate term for a person who's surname (last name) starts with Mc is Macca (Mack-ah)
Sentence: Ask Macca to get a slab
translation: Ask our friend Peter McDonald to please buy beer pre-packaged in 24 cans for us to share.


A person who's surname (last name) starts with Fitz, like Fitzroy, is calle "Fits-ey"
Sentence/translation as above.


But good list Babel.
sentence: Gotta do my rego this arvo.
Translation: I have to renew my car registration this afternoon.

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~~~ My fish blow kisses at me all day long ~~~

Maybe "mackies" is a Banana Bender thing? (said the Cockroach)

Banana Bender = someone from Qld, and it is genuinely because they grow the stereotypical curvy bananas up there. Bananas from NSW (the Cockroaches, a slightly less endearing term, I think because we happen to be underneath QLD? anyone?) are mainly straight with a little 45* bend in one end.

Milkbar = local hamburger shop. Often combined with corner store type groceries. Much better than Maccas



For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett

Do other places use bottle-o and milko?

And what about bonnet and boot? I know Americans use hood and trunk, but what about elsewhere? I haven't heard anyone else really using bonnet.

For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett

callatya- Are you saying our hood=your bonnet?
our trunk= your boot?

And what does bottle-o & milko mean?

boot and bonnet are used in Great Britain as well. Do you have car boot sales in Oz too?

Car boot sale = like a flea market where everyone sells things out of their car boot/trunk

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Oh dear, yes
Bonnet = hood
boot = trunk

Oh, and "ute" is an interesting one. It is short for utility, and basically it is like an El Camino. They are very popular and well accepted. You aren't likely to get labelled as anything unpleasant for choosing to drive one. Unless you drive a "B&S ute". This is your ordinary use done up in Bachelor and Spinster style, usually circa 1970-80 with about 4 whip aerials, huge spotties (spotlights, usually mounted both on the rollbar and the bullbar for roo hunting at night) and the entire tailgate plastered with stickers of places the driver has been. If you are lucky, they'll also have signatures of country singers on certain panels.

http://people.aapt.net.au/lmking/crossroads/gallery1.html

As for the balls for which the B&S ute is named, but even the official site is not G rated... I guess that should have been expected. Sorry guys!

And car boot sales, we do, but not as often as they used to be held. Probably to do with insurance etc.


The Milko is the guy who delivered milk bottles door to door, so called because they called out "milko" at some horrid time in the morning so people could pop out and buy their dairy goods from the truck. I think they are extinct, haven't seen one for years.

A Bottle-o is the local bottle shop/liqour store. Not quite sure where that name came from either, although I think it may be something to do with the glass bottle collector (also called the bottle-o, but the job is now non-existant) from way back when who, like the milko, used to call out bottle-o in order to let people know he was there and collecting.

For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett

Ah yes, Chex mix in Texas is definitely Texas Trash.....My Mom used to make it all the time before you could buy it already made. You had to buy 2 or 3 different kinds of Chex cereal, pretzels, and whatever else you wanted in there, throw it together with some butter and spices, and bake it for a while.

I still get a "hankerin'" (translation: craving) for good ole' homemade Texas Trash.

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~~Melissa~~
"Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder."

Actually the Master Adam term was one that grew up way back in the dusty history of Fish Profiles

*cue tinkley time travel music*

Back in the early days of chat, we had another member (since banned ) who was also named adam. To differentiate between the two I would refer to our adam as Master Adam, since he was the web master.

Has nothing to do with the fact that a few years later I became his master .

And utes are turning into american trucks , all shiny and dust free.

Chunder = toss the cookies, ralph, be sick
stubbies = bottle (of beer usually?) that has a short neck
longies = opposite of a stubbie
clobber(?) = clothing from what I could drag out of adam


and of course there's my all time favorite term of "STREWTH" which I learned from Terry Pratchetts "Last Continent" it's more an exclamation similar to "wow" ...I think....


The following is for illustrative purposes only, please note the B&S sticker in the lower right that Calla refered to. This fine speciman was recorded somewhere to the north east of Dubbo in July of last year. (...yes I did make adam follow it so I could get some shots )



Attached Image:

Apparently a Northern Indiana-ism is to call the police the "po-po"

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Babel: ...and of course there's my all time favorite term of "STREWTH" which I learned from Terry Pratchetts "Last Continent" it's more an exclamation similar to "wow" ...I think....

The origin is that the word is a contraction of "It's truth"

"'struth!"

Used now as an exclamation of surprise or incredulousness.
Well I'll be!
Goodness me!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~ My fish blow kisses at me all day long ~~~

"Apparently a Northern Indiana-ism is to call the police the "po-po"

I've heard that when in Philadelphia. I've always associated it with people in the inner city.

I'll do graffiti,
If you sing to me in French.

We cal cops the "5-0" down here....it all goes back to Hawaii 5-0. LOL "The 5-0 just rolled by....toss yer' beer quick!!!"

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~~Melissa~~
"Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder."

I've heard people around here call police the po-po too... of course, Chicagoland includes parts of northwestern indiana, anyway. But yeah, lotsa names for the police around here.

~Meow. Thus spoke the cat.~

Ok...........goin' back a bit on this thread........... what does someone do with a dead 'roo after they have it??

And is that legal hunting?

yeah, what with the land clearing for cattle/sheep and the introduced grasses and access to stock water and grain, the roos tend to overpopulate. The government culls a large quantity every year (15000 i think? I think it may include private culls, not sure) They look all cute, but they are really quite substantial things and can be very aggressive. Those back legs pack quite a punch.

Generally they meat gets fed to the dogs, and the skins sent off for leather (strongest leather for its weight in the world, fantastic for edge braiding).
The meat is eaten by people too, only you have to be a bit careful because roos tend to carry a certain type of parasite in their flesh that is a bit unpleasant. Roos are farmed for human consumption (its a specialty meat but it is sold in all the major supermarkets), although I believe you can sell wild ones within a certain timeframe after death and subject to an inspection for those parasites.

Pretty sure the hunting season is all year round, but I think you are only allowed to shoot them (anything?) if they are on private property and not endangered etc.

EDIT: love the pink

For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett

in Cincinnati, and Cincinnati alone, instead of saying "what?" or "do what now?" you can say "sorry?"

As in:
"mumble mumble mumble..."
"Sorry?"
"I said; where are my keys?"
"Oh, they're over there"

To explain, Cincinnati is a German city. Apparently, the German word for "sorry" is the same as the German word for "what" as in "what did you say" So as Germans began speaking english, they would learn to say "sorry" instead of "*insert appropriate german word here*" to say "what did you say" and it somehow stuck.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

Also, a Cincinnati thing is the Coney; as in a small hotdog with Cincinnati style chili and cheese on top. However, by accident, I went out of town and asked for a coney, and got a plain hotdog, so apparently "coney" can also mean "hotdog"

And for those who don't know, Cincinnati Style Chili is GREAT, includes coco in the ingredients, and goes great on top of noodles.... and toped with cheese....

I thought of a good Texasism today:

"Ever what blows your dress up.": What ever makes you happy.



My step-dad used to say that ALL the time.

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~~Melissa~~
"Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder."

Hmm... I've used and heard the term "sorry?" used before in response to an unheard or misheard comment/question. In most cases I think it's a shortened form of "I'm sorry, could you repeat that?"

How about the term "gully washer"? I'm not even sure where the term originates, but it amuses me. The term refers to a really big rainstorm or a downpour. Or, at least that's how I've heard it used. Not sure if it comes from around here or it's just been imported.

~Meow. Thus spoke the cat.~

I use sorry all the time to ask what was said, usually more than I'd like. For someone with such good hearing it seems I can't understand people sometimes!

Footy, now there's one. It's used in a few different countries and means something different in each one .

^_^

A lot of things people have said on here, from the US. I hear also. So many people moving all the time, local phrases are getting spread around. The po po was a new one on me as well as the Texas Trash.

My hubby says gully washer, as well as ,'It's raining like a cow wissin on a flat rock."

hmmm things are spreading

po-po is pretty comon though... i've heard it in movies.

I've used "Sorry?" instead of what from time to time along with most people I've known. I don't think its a regional thing. I've heard it used in british lit as well.

I'll do graffiti,
If you sing to me in French.

I use "sorry" all the time in that sense. While I was in America it seemed quite rude when people just say "what?" when they don't understand.

Another thing was when you are at the register of a store, no-one ever said please or thank you, they just say the total and take your money. Here they usually say please after the total and thank you once you give them the money.

All right, this is going to bug me... Jorge, I'm digging through my knowledge of the German language and while I know I'm nowhere near fluent, I can't think of any wording to fit what you've described. Granted, what you learn in school isn't the colloquial language, but rather the court language or "high German" as it's referred to...

I hope the mods will forgive my lapse into another language as I try to work this out...

"What did you say?" in a polite form would be something along the lines of "Was hast du gesagen?" or "Was sagten Sie?" While "I'm sorry" or "apologies" would be "Entschuldigung" or "es tut mir leid." I'm verifying this with the bf who is fluent, cause like I said, my German isn't up to par.

So, yeah... I'm not seeing the connection in what you're saying. Maybe I misunderstood?

~Meow. Thus spoke the cat.~

How 'bout the one I use the most at work?

une momentito por favor? just a minute please?

or the best one to those who are no way near spanish speaking....

munde? (ounced Monday) may I be of assistance, how can I help you....

hast luego, y buenos noches ya'll

"I've got a great ambition to die of exhaustion rather than boredom." Thomas Carlyle

To explain, Cincinnati is a German city. Apparently, the German word for "sorry" is the same as the German word for "what" as in "what did you say" So as Germans began speaking english, they would learn to say "sorry" instead of "*insert appropriate german word here*" to say "what did you say" and it somehow stuck.

I didn't know that Rasco.

Thanks for sharing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~ My fish blow kisses at me all day long ~~~

We always use it as an abbreviation for "im sorry I didnt hear you". That would be the same as what. I believe we are among the few people that say "what what" Though. Well the incredibly posh people might anyway. Its like saying "what -ho" which far from being a lyric in a rap music track, means "hello, whats up, whats happening".

Favourites used by veterans of both world wars with huge moustaches.

And Hirsty always comes in with "eh up" which I still don't get!

I was just watching telly and I had to come in and post. Sad but true, I thought it was important

Women over here don't wear 'panties', they wear 'knickers' or 'undies'. On the rare occasion I have heard anyone use the term panties, its always been as a bit of a joke.

They may also be called Reggies (though I think that is less used) which comes from Reg Grundies, rhyming slang for undies Reg Grundy owns a large slice of the TV world, or he did in the 80s anyway. Reg Grundies goes for both male and female garments, though tends to have a male bias, and tends to be used by those in the 30+ age bracket.

Oh, and daks. There is an underwear brand called Underdaks, though I'm having a bit of a chicken/egg moment with this one. The phrase "drop your daks" is pretty common, usually as in "hurry up! drop your daks and lets get out in the waves!", referring to the outer layer of clothing. And to dak someone, not a particularly pleasant experience. Generally in that context it refers to the outer layer too.

I'll bet that underwear terminology is pretty regional, I remember having a conversation with someone from QLD and I can't remember what they called them,but it was one I hadn't heard of before.

Ohh, and trakkies/trakkie daks, from the wonderfully versatile track suit Fleece pants, daggy ones, none of this shiny breathable sports fabic bizzo, its got to be fleecy The matching upper garment is generally a jumper rather than a sweater.

And on the subject of pants, does anyone else use "it's the ants pants" to describe something that is really great?

For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett

Calla, yeah. Grundies. We obviously took the surname bit of Reg Grundy and other regions took the first name option.

Remember Scungies? Maybe not. It was a brand. Worn over your normal underwear if you had on a sports skirt... for modesty. But since it was basically the same cut as underwear it was just a colour thing that made it for modesty I guess. In primary school one would wear scungies under your normal uniform not just sports uniform. Once again this was an 80's thing.

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~~~ My fish blow kisses at me all day long ~~~

I remember scungies, I still have my pair from school!

For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett

EVERYONE IN! ITS SPITTIN! ITS SPITTIN! EVERYONE IN!
true, though. "that fine rain that gets you wet through" - as opposed to the dry stuff?
Howdo/yreet = you ok?
ne'then=now then
The Big Light is over here in the uk, too.

Hehe... calla, not familiar with ants wearing pants, but "it's the bee's knees" means the same.

I volunteer "merph" which is more a made-up term I suppose. I remember Babel claiming it as something she used first, but I'd used the term before coming to FP... dunno where it originates, but it's a cute term. Somewhere along the lines of "hmph!" or similar sulky terms.

~Meow. Thus spoke the cat.~

Scungies are called "bloomers" over here...I used to wear them under my tennis skirt.

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~~Melissa~~
"Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder."

Scungies are called "bloomers" over here

I think they are also called spankies (if we are talking about the same thing )...cheerleaders wear them under their skirts.

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I used to be Snow White, but I drifted.
~ Mae West

Yes a tinnie is a small boat, but it's also a can of beer.

A bottle-o is the place you go to buy your grog (alcohol)

A milko is the delivery man who delivers your milk to your home or to the shop. Where I live, there really aren't milko's anymore - we just go to the shop or maybe to the "servo" (service station which is another word for petrol (gas) station). I had a milkman when I was kid though & think country towns still probably have them now.

In NSW, McDonalds is Maccas.

Superlion, yep, we have car boot sales too. Probably haven't seen one in a while though.

fish patty, yep, your hood=our bonnet? Your trunk = our boot?

Budgie-snugglers = a pair of men's skimpy speedo style swimmers. (oops, do you say "speedo" if not, imagine men's swimmers that look like normal style underwear - not boxer shorts)

Boardshorts - mens swimmers (often referred to as boardies eg. "get your boardies - we're going to the beach"

Cozzi = any sort of swimming suit - eg bikini, one piece etc.

Bikkie = biscuit (or do you call it cookie). We also say "it cost big bikkies" = it was expensive).

Bodgy or dodgy: means that something isn't the best quality.

Booze bus = a police vehicle used for catching drunk drivers.

Dinky-di = the real thing, the genuine article

Dob someone in = report somebody for something they did wrong. Hence dobber, a tell-tale.

Garbo, garbologist = the man who collects your household rubbish on a weekly basis.

Knock = to criticise something

Rellie or relo = family relative

chuck a sickie = take the day off sick from work when you're perfectly healthy

Spit the dummy = get very upset at something eg. loose your tempter

Hit the Turps = go on a drinking binge

Yewy = u-turn in traffic eg "chuck a yewy at the next traffic lights"

No worries! = No problem; forget about it; I can do it; Yes, I'll do it (you get the idea)

Ankle biter = a small or young child.

bangers = sausages
snag = sausages

Maybe you all use these (or some of them too). We probably don't even realise the other things we say, that confuse non Australians.

Good thread wish-ga


Cheers
TW

Man, Robyn, was that thread enlightening. I might have to steal some of those!! I like 'garbologist'. That cracked me up!! Chuck a sickie....that is my new phrase.

Wish-ga chucked one on us one time from down there...it was "wheelie-bin" when I asked her what it was she posted a pic of a grabage can with wheels (same kind in my yard)....I've called it the wheelie-bin ever since.

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~~Melissa~~
"Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder."

Wow..............a whole other language!

So.............I actually spit the dummy last night.

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I chucked a sickie last week and I hit the turps last night. LOL I'm SO bad.


Usually, I chuck a sickie because I hit the turps the night before.

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~~Melissa~~
"Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder."

I've called it the wheelie-bin ever since

Is there any other name?

I actually spit the dummy last night

So Fish Patty, you chucked a nana last night, did you?

I got interested in this, so I googled for Oz slang. There are heaps more, but I picked out ones I actually come across, use or hear said around me. The others, yeah nothing I haven't heard before, but I don't tend to hear them said myself & so didn't include them here. Here's my list - it's long, so you may not be interested in reading it all.

Ace! =Excellent! Very good!
Arvo = afternoon
Back of Bourke = long way away
Bail out = to leave or change your mind on being involved in a situation
Barbie = barbecue (noun)
Barrack = to cheer on
Battler = a hard worker only just making a living
Beaut, beauty = great, fantastic
Beyond the Black Stump = a long way away, the back of nowhere
Do your Block = get angry
Blow in = stranger or someone not usually see in the area or social group
Blow in the bag = have a breathalyzer test
Bludger = layabout
Have a Blue = argument
Make a Blue = a mistake
Feeling Blue = sad
Bog in = start eating (eg "2, 4, 6 8, bog in, don't wait" )
Bonzer = great, ripper
Boogie board = body board, but not a full surfboard though, it's the smaller version you lie on to catch waves.
Your blood's worth bottling: = you're excellent, good to keep around (like a good bottle of wine was worth bottling)
Hasn't got a Brass razoo = he is very poor
Brekkie = breakfast
Brickie = bricklayer
Brizzie = Brisbane, state capital of Queensland
Buckley's chance = no chance
Yours & Buckley's : see above
I'll have a Burl = I'll have a go, I'll try that
Bushie = someone who lives in the Bush
BYO = unlicensed restaurant where you have to Bring Your Own grog
It's Cactus = It's dead, broken, no good
Cark it = to die, stop working (my car cark it today)
Chewie = chewing gum
Chocka = full up
Chokkie = chocolate
Chunder = vomit
Clayton's = fake, substitute
Coldie = a beer
Come good = turn out ok
Compo = Workers Compensation pay
Not within Cooee = a long way away
Daks = trousers
Deadset = true / the truth
Digger = a soldier
Dill = an idiot
Doco = documentary
Dole bludger = signing on illegally or taking advantage of welfare payments
Drongo = a dope, stupid person
Earbashing = nagging
Esky = coolbox
Off your Face = very drunk
Fair go = a chance / break
Flat out = busy
Give it the Flick = give something a miss, decide not to do it.
To Flick someone = to dump them, let them down, not meet up with them, avoid them
Flog = to sell / steal
If someone is a Fruit loop = they're a bit silly
Full = drunk
Galah = fool
Give it away = give up, stop doing it
Give a Gobful = to abuse verbally
Grundies = underwear
If something is Iffy = then it might be dodgy or not right
If I'm Iffy about something, = I'm undecided about it
It's gone walkabout = it's lost, can't be found
He's gone walkabouts = he's not here, didn't say where he was going, don't know where he is. A bit like "missing in action"
Jocks = male pants
Journo = journalist
Kick the bucket = to die
Kindie = kindergarten
Lob in = drop in to see someone
Mug = gullible person
Munchies = snacks, nibbles
Nipper = young surf lifesaver
Offsider = an assistant / helper / partner
Pav = Pavlova = yummy stuff
Polly = politician
Postie = postman
Pozzy = position
Rack off = get lost! get out of here!
Rage = party
Rage on = to continue partying
Rapt = pleased, delighted
Reckon! = for sure
Right = okay
Ring in = substitute
Ripper = Great
Rock up = to turn up, arrive
Rollie = a cigarette that you roll yourself
Rotten = drunk
To Rubbish something = is to criticize
Sanger = a sandwich
Schooner = large beer glass in QLD and NSW
Middy = smaller glass of beer
Scratchy = instant lottery ticket
She'll be apples = It'll be alright
Shoot through = to leave
Shout = a round of drinks
Slab = crate of beer
Smoko = smoke or coffee break
Spag bol = spaghetti bolognese
Spewin = very angry
Sprung = caught doing something
Spunk = a good looking person
Squizz = to look
Stoked = very pleased
Strewth = exclamation
Strides = trousers
Stubby = a 375ml beer bottle
Stubby holder = beer bottle cooler
I feel Stuffed = I'm tired
I'll be Stuffed = I'm surprised
Sunnies = sunglasses
Surfies = people who go surfing - more than they go to work!
Tall poppies = successful people
Tall poppy syndrome = the tendency to criticize successful people
Tee-up = to set up (an appointment) eg. I'll tee-up with my mates to meet for drinks
Trackies or trackie-daks = track suit
True blue = patriotic
Uni = university
Unit = apartment
Up oneself = have a high opinion of oneself
Veg out = relax in front of the TV
Waggin' school = playing truant
Whinge = complain
Throw a Wobbly = go mad

I think I'm done now.

Cheers
TW