Having grown up in Australia, I sometimes take our weird and wonderful lingo for granted. Sure, every culture develops its own unique slang; I thought I had learned Spanish until I turned up in Spain to discover that people have a ‘language within a language,’ countless funny and often rude idioms and phrases that they just don’t teach you at school.
Australia is the same. You haven’t truly experienced Australia until you’ve had a chat with a random bogan in a bluey, durry in hand while smashing down a tinny in his stubbies and thongs. If you’re lucky, he might let you help yourself to the contents of his esky, chuck a snag or two on the barbie and discuss whether he reckons the pies have got a chance of winning the flag this year. (Pro tip: the pies are a bunch of sooks and sheilas, catters all the way mate).
Needless to say, when foreigners come into contact with all this nonsensical Australian slang, it can be a bit of a head-scratcher. The internet is providing tons of opportunities for a bit of cross-cultural education, and it’s always fun trying to help the uninitiated try to decode our unique way of using English words. Need proof? Scroll down below to check out some Tumblr users who were just fair dinkum stumped by it the Aussie slang, and needed an explanation. What do ya reckon? Let us know what you think in the comments!
#1 Greatest Phrase In The English Language
Image source: actuallybenwyatt
#2 Melting Thongs
Image source: jared-padaquacki
#3 Everything Is Chips
Image source: jpadalicki
#4 Meaning Of Mate
Image source: skinnyliesandbloodylines
#5 Aussie Slang
Image source: croatoan-the-line
#6 Trakky-Dacks
Image source: 15piecesofflare
#7 Australian Slang
Image source: seselapod
#8 Macca’s
Image source: runyouclevertimelord
#9 Confusing Aussie Slang
Image source: mrrightandmrbubble
#10 Yeah Nah
Image source: android18
#11 The Most Australian Sentence
Image source: myfriendscallmekazzy
#12 Perfect Slang Example
Image source: sam-loves-party-hats
#13 Australian To English Translation
Image source: bagelbitesofficial
#14 Have A Good One
Image source: notafuckingwizard
#15 Australian Time
Image source: orgasmic-humor
#16 Aussie Traffic Reports
Image source: simply-funsize
#17 Confusing Aussie Slang
Image source: heavenischeap
#18 Australian ‘I Love You’
Image source: best-text-posts
#19 Funny Aussie Slang
Image source: love-yourself-idol
#20 Aussie Slang
Image source: loathlylady
#21 Swagman
Image source: gojikas
#22 Heaps
Image source: annetagonist
#23 Sunrise Rhonda
Image source: australians-assemble
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