Smart Tech
Ultrabook Project: Australian Slang
One of the biggest advantages that will.i.am and the Ultrabook Project team had while traveling in Australia was the fact that almost everybody spoke English. Tokyo, Mexico City and Seoul were amazing places to visit, but the team felt limited by always having to rely on someone else to translate what was being said.
They were excited about Sydney for a lot of reasons, but the fact that English is Australia’s first language meant that translators were not needed and they’d finally understand everything that was being said. Or, so they thought.
Shortly after landing, it became clear that what they were hearing was English, but it wasn’t American English or the Queen’s English, it was pure Australian!
Here is short list of some typical, and not-so typical, Australian-isms:
| A
Ace! Ankle biter Aussie Aussie salute
B Banana bender Barbie Bingle Brekkie
C Chewie Chokkie Coathanger Cobber
D Dead horse Dill Dinky-di Dunny rat
E Earbashing Esky Exy
F Fair dinkum Fairy floss Footy Furphy
G Gabba Galah Garbo Greenie
H Holy dooley! Hoon Hooroo Hottie
I Icy pole
J Jackaroo Jillaroo Joey Jumbuck
K Kangaroos loose in the top paddock: Kindie Knock Knocker
L Lippy Lollies Long paddock Lurk
M Maccas Mallee bull Mozzie Mystery bag
N Never Never Nipper No worries! Not the full quid
O O.S. Ocker Oldies Oz
P Pig’s arse Polly Pommy shower Porky
Q Quid
R Ratbag Rellie or relo Ridgy-didge Ropeable
S Seppo Shark biscuit Sheila Stickybeak
T Tall poppies Tee-up Tinny, tin-arsed: Too right!
U Uni Unit Up oneself Ute
V Vedgies Vee dub Vejjo Vinnie’s
W Whinge Wobbly Wog Woop Woop
X XXXX
Y Yabber Yabby Yakka Yobbo
Z Zack
|
Excellent! Very good! A small child Australian Brushing away flies with the hand
A person from Queensland Barbecue (noun) Motor vehicle accident Breakfast
Chewing gum Chocolate The Sydney Harbour bridge Friend
Tomato sauce An idiot The real thing, genuine Very cunning
Nagging A large insulated cooler Expensive
Cotton candy True, genuine Australian football False or unreliable rumor
Woolloongabba – the Brisbane cricket ground Fool, silly person Garbage collector Environmentalist
An exclamation of surprise like, “Good heavens!” Hooligan Goodbye Hot water bottle
Popsicle
A male trainee station manager or station hand A female trainee station manager or station hand Baby kangaroo Sheep
Crazy in the head Kindergarten To criticize Somebody who criticizes
Lipstick Sweets, candy The side of the road where livestock graze Illegal or underhanded racket
McDonald’s (the hamburger place) Very fit and strong Mosquito A sausage
The Outback, centre of Australia Young surfers No problem Not bright intellectually
Overseas An unsophisticated person Parents Australia
! I don’t agree with you Politician Using deodorant instead of taking a shower Lie, untruth (pork pie = lie)
Earn a living or of low IQ.
Mild insult Family relative Original, genuine Very angry
An American Somebody new to surfing A woman Nosy person
Successful people To set up (an appointment) Lucky Definitely!
University Flat, apartment Have a high opinion of oneself Utility vehicle, pickup truck
Vegetables Volkswagen Vegetarian St. Vincent De Paul’s (thrift stores)
Complain A fit (as in “to throw a…”) Flu or trivial illness A name for any small town
Pronounced Four X, brand of beer made in Queensland
To talk a lot Inland freshwater crayfish found in Australia Work (noun) An uncouth person
Sixpence (a nickel) |
Join will.i.am on the Ultrabook™ Project
Part travelogue and part insiders’ guide, the Ultrabook™ Project is a musical journey and a global cultural experience through eyes and ears of hip hop music legend will.i.am. In 2012, will.i.am began traveling to various cities throughout the world armed with an Ultrabook, exploring, documenting, collaborating with local artists, and ultimately creating original pieces of music inspired by each of the cities he visits.
will.i.am has already traveled to Tokyo, Mexico City and Seoul. The Ultrabook Project site gives you a free music download of each city’s newly created song, lets you read articles about will.i.am’s travels, and you can learn more about the power of creating with an Ultrabook. Also check out the interactive timeline where you can comment and share the Ultrabook Project with your Facebook friends.
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