Coming the raw prawn

Now let us be quite clear about this from the outset: Australians speak English. Standard Australian English is practically indistinguishable from the standard form spoken in England.  However, there is also a variation in the colloquial dialect, similar to variations that can be found throughout the UK, and, indeed, in some respects less marked than might be found in some British regions.  Strangely, it is both highly distinctive and at the same time, in some ways, very familiar.  Quite often, it really does sound like “a kind of fossilized Cockney of the Dickensian era”, as Anthony Burgess once suggested.  Why not try “G’day, mate!” in your best cockney accent, if you doubt the hypothesis, and see if you can distinguish it from Australian.  Careful though, it’s catching. 

OK, you need some essential vocabulary.  The very basics with which to get by; let’s start with some opening pleasantries:

Good day (g’die or g’diemite)

The Australian equivalent  to “hello”, “good morning” or “good afternoon”.  Often accompanied by the general purpose endearment “mate”, which, these days, is non-gender specific and sometimes blended with the original greeting to make “G’daymate!” (although, come to think of it, I don't believe I have heard "G'day!" used by a woman). The appropriate response, of course, is a repetition of the original greeting. If you were to respond with “hello” or “good morning”, it might be thought that you were either a “pommy” , a “wowser” or “have tickets on yourself”.

                       G'day

How’s it going? (owzitgoin)

Strangely enough the English equivalent to this is not “How are you?” or “How do you do?” but much more like “Alright?”  It is not so much a question as to how you are, although it is that as well, but a question which offers the respondent the option to begin a discussion.  Appropriate responses can be a simple “good”, “not bad”, or similar, but with the possibility of taking the conversation further.  In fact, it was the British version of this conversation opener (“Alright?”) which caused most consternation amongst Australian students visiting the University of Chester.  At first, it seems, they imagined that it was an enquiry related to their physical and/or mental well-being, and were somewhat affronted to find that this was constantly in question, and that they might be thought to have a few “kangaroos loose in the top paddock”.

                                                   Round the bend?

No worries

The Australian equivalent of “You’re welcome” in response to any expression of gratitude. Endearingly reassuring, don’t you think?

It’s your shout 

 It’s your turn to buy the next round of beers/ coffees/cakes/ etc.   Do not under any circumstances ignore this invocation; the consequences could be dire.  In fact, preferably, never get into a situation where somebody might even contemplate saying this to you.  It is a social clanger on a par with stealing sweeties from toddlers (“lollies from ankle-biters”).  Under no circumstances should you attempt to “come the raw prawn”, and suggest any reason as to why you should not be getting  the “tinnies”, “stubbies” or “longies” in.    If you do, somebody is likely to get “ropeable” or “spit the dummy” and you will find yourself  “drinking with the flies”. You have been warned!

The bush

Refers to anywhere other than the town. It doesn’t  have to be in the outback,  “back of Bourke” or “beyond the black stump”; if it’s not in town, it’s in the bush.

                    The bush 

Tucker

Food is tucker.  It may start with brekkie which could include an egg from a chook, or some Vegemite on toast (sod all these quotation marks).  Following that, you might expect to take a cut lunch to work in your tucker bag  ( you’ll not need an esky for one lunch, but might need one for a picnic).  The typical cut lunch could include sangers or a sav, with bikkies and a Lamington ( chocolate/treacle sponge cake covered with coconut) with which to finish.  Your tucker can be bought at the milk bar or Woollies (yes, alive and well and living in Australia), or in one of the excellent restaurants.

However, you should not worry if you have not mastered the local language when you arrive, as all variations of UK English are  well understood, and visitors' attempts to get their tongues round the local phraseology is a constant source of amusement to the locals. The dialect is, nonetheless, an essential element in Australian identity, and I suspect that they are, rightly, very proud of its  assertive, and humorous, irreverence.

An esky