Basic
Travel Vocabulary
Some
Australian English Expressions
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By Reinhard F. Hahn, Seattle, Washington, USA, July 2007
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Alice |
Alice
Springs |
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Arvo |
Afternoon |
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Award wage |
Minimum wage |
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Back of Bourke |
Middle of nowhere |
|
Bail up |
Hold up, rob |
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Barbie |
Barbecue |
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Bathers |
Bathing suit/trunks |
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Beaut |
Great,
wonderful, splendid |
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Belt up! |
Shut up! |
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Berco |
Very angry |
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Bickie (< biscuit) |
(1)
Cookie, (2) dollar |
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Big mobs |
Lots, large amounts |
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Bikie |
Biker, motorcyclist |
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Biscuit |
Cookie |
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Bitumen |
Asphalt
(usually as road surface) |
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Blimy! |
Oh,
boy! For heaven’s sake! Gee! |
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Bloke |
Guy, chap, man |
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Bloody
hell! |
Darn
it! I’ll be ... |
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Blowie |
Blowfish |
|
Bog |
Toilet, bathroom,
restroom |
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Bonnet |
Hood
(of a motorcar) |
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Bonzer |
Great, excellent |
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Boomer |
Large
male red kangaroo |
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Bottle shop |
Liquor store |
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Buckley’s |
Not a chance |
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Bulldust |
(1)
Outback road; (2) nonsense, BS |
|
Bush tucker |
Native
food, wild food |
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BYO |
Bring your own
(bottle) |
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Cal |
Calgoorlie |
|
Capsicum |
Pepper
(green pepper, etc.) |
|
Cello
tape |
Scotch
tape |
|
Chook |
Chicken (the bird) |
|
Chuck |
Throw, cast |
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Come good |
Turn out all right |
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Copper |
Cop, police
officier |
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Counter meal |
Pub meal |
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Cow |
Awful situation |
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Crayfish |
Rock
lobster |
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Crook |
Ill, sick; bad |
|
Cross |
Angry,
bearing a grudge |
|
Daks |
Pants |
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Dinkie dye |
Whole truth;
genuine, through and through |
|
Dinkum |
Genuine, honest |
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Drongo |
Stupid person |
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Dunny |
Outhouse; toilet,
bathroom, restroom |
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Dustbin |
Trash
can |
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Earbash |
Incessant talking |
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Esky, eskie |
Large thermos
container |
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Fair crack of the whip! |
Let’s be fair! Give
… a chance! |
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Fair dinkum |
Genuine, honest |
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Fair go! |
Let’s be fair! Give
… a chance! |
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Financial |
Having a lot of
money |
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Flog |
Sell |
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Footy,
footie |
(Australian
rules) football |
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Footy
shorts, footie shorts |
short,
usually black shorts worn during Australian rules football games,
also casually worn by males that
don't play that game |
|
Galah |
Big-mouth,
silly-talking person |
|
Gander |
(Take a) look |
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Garbo |
Garbage collector |
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Give it away |
Give up |
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Goer |
Something to happen
for sure |
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Good oil |
Reliable
information |
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Good on yah! |
Good for you! Well
done! |
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Grog |
Alcoholic drink,
booze |
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Gumtree |
Eucalyptus
tree |
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Hotel |
(1)
Hotel; (2) pub, bar |
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Hump |
(1)
Bump; (2) lug,
carry (something heavy) |
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Identity |
Identity; celebrity |
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Jingoes! |
Good heavens! Wow! |
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Jocks |
Underpants (for
males) |
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Jumbuck |
Sheep |
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Jumped-up |
Full of oneself,
self-important |
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Kafuffle |
Argument,
disagreement |
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Keen as mustard |
Very eager,
enthusiastic |
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Kick |
Share, join in |
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Kick in |
Give one’s
share/contribution |
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Knock |
Criticize |
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Knocker |
Criticizing person |
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Licensed |
Licensed to sell
alcoholic beverages |
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Lift |
(1)
Elevator, (2) (hitched) ride |
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Lolly |
Candy, sweets |
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Lolly water |
Pop (drink) |
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Loo |
Toilet, bathroom,
restroom |
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Marron |
Crawfish,
crawdad |
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Mate |
Friend, buddy |
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Migrant |
Immigrant |
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Mobs |
Lots, large amounts |
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Mozzie |
Mosquito |
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Narked |
Annoyed, bothered |
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Nick |
Steal |
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Nick out |
Leave for a short
time |
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No worries! |
Don’t worry! It’ll
be fine! No problem |
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No-hoper |
Hopeless
situation/prospect |
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Noise off |
Speak loudly |
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Ockie strap |
Flexible strap with
hooks |
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Off-license |
Liquor
store |
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Oil |
Information |
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OS |
Overseas |
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Packed out |
Completely filled |
|
Paddock |
Meadow, field |
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Petrol |
Gasoline |
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Pinch |
(1)
Steal; (2) arrest |
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Piss |
Beer |
|
Pissed |
Drunk |
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Piss
off! |
Get
lost! |
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Plonk |
Inferior wine |
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Pom,
Pommie |
English
person (not necessarily disrespectful) |
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Poofter |
Fag,
homosexual male |
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Power
point |
(Electric)
outlet |
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Prawn |
Large
shrimp, jumpo shrimp |
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Quick smart |
Immediately, in a
hurry |
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Raw prawn |
Deception,
lie, trick |
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Ripper |
Great, excellent
(person) |
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Roo |
Kangaroo |
|
Roo bar |
Metal
bar
at the front of a vehicle to protect it in case of collision
with wildlife |
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Rooted |
Tired |
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Rubber |
Eraser |
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Rubber
band |
Elastic
band |
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Rubbish |
Garbage |
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Rubbish
tip |
Garbage
dump |
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Satdy |
Saturday |
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Sheila |
Woman |
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Shoot through |
Leave quickly,
disappear |
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Shove off! |
Go away! Get lost! |
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Shrimp |
Small
shrimp |
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Skirting
board |
Base
board |
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Synny |
Sydney |
|
Synnysider,
Sydneysider |
Resident
of Sydney |
|
Skirting
board |
Base
board |
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Slog |
Hard work |
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Spunky |
Good-looking,
attractive |
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Station |
Large farm, ranch |
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Stinker |
(1)
Bad day; (2) exceptionally hot day |
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Struth! Strewth! |
Really! Goodness! |
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Swede |
Rutabaga |
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Take-away food |
Take-out food |
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Tap |
Faucet |
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Tazzie,
Tassie |
Tasmania |
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Telly, tellie |
Television |
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Thongs |
Flip-flops |
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Tip |
Dump |
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Too right! |
Absolutely!
You bet! You’d better believe. |
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Torch
(electric ...) |
Flashlight |
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Trunk |
Boot
(of a motorcar) |
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Tucker |
Food |
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Ute |
Utility vehicle |
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Walkabout |
Hike, long walk |
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Whinge |
Nag and complain,
whine |
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Whinger |
Complainer,
whiner |
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Willy-willy |
Wind whirl |
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Wowser |
Spoilsport, party
pooper |
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Yank |
American
(from any part of the US) |
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Zebra crossing |
Marked
pedestrian crossing |
| Zed |
Zee (letter z) |
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