G’day, cobber. It may seem barmy, but folks around the world really do use slang like this. In fact, every English-speaking country has its own vocabulary full of slang terms. So, before you take a trip to Australia or England, make sure you know your destination’s local slang. (You definitely don’t want to get stuck in a chock-a-block sounding like a bogan.)
Australia
Turns out the land down under should actually be called the “land of abbreviations.” You can always count on Australians to chop a word into a shorter, savvier version of itself. In fact, the first Aussie slang term you can think of is probably g’day—an abbreviation for good day, or the Australian way to say hello. Here’s a list of others that you may not be familiar with:
- avo avocado
- barbie barbecue
- brolly umbrella
- brekky breakfast
- choccy biccy chocolate biscuit
- rellie/rello relative
- runners running shoes
- sunnies sunglasses
Outside of their abbreviations, Aussies are also known for their funny-sounding terms that (to American English speakers, at least) have no reasonable explanation for meaning what they do.
- bogan redneck (but can be used toward your friends when they’re acting strange)
- bludger a lazy person
- cobber a very good friend
- crook angry or ill
- deadset true
- dunny toilet
- galah a not-so-bright individual (named after a particularly dull bird)
- larrikin someone who’s always up for a laugh
- rooted tired or broken
- sheila a woman
- snag a sausage
England
And now for our friendly British counterpart. Our other half. Our sister country. (After all, we do share the same roots and a bunch of DNA.) British slang can throw you a curveball if you aren’t prepared for it. Though you most likely know that fish and chips refers to battered fish and french fries, you may need a translator if you hear the following words in a British conversation:
- bagsy the British way of calling shotgun
- bog toilet (meaning bog roll is the British equivalent to toilet paper)
- barmy bonkers or crazy
- cheesed off displeased or annoyed
- chock-a-block a bustling busy place
- dishy attractive or good-looking
- flog to sell something
- full of beans energetic, bouncing off the walls
- Her Majesty’s pleasure spending time in jail
- lurgy a cold or flu
- scrummy delicious
- yonks a very long time
Of course, there are other countries that speak English besides the US, Australia, and England, but this guide should give you a good head start. And if it doesn’t… well, please don’t be cheesed off for yonks.
—Jenna Palacios