Thursday Thirteen 027: Strine!

[misslj_author]

Strine. What is it? I quote: "As a legacy, the contemporary Australian dialect, or Strine, is littered with idioms, similes and invented words that make it one of the world's most advanced English dialects. Speakers of Strine can understand everyone, or confuse everyone if they so desire." (Convinct Creations Com). And, "An Australian's 'greatest talent is for idiomatic invention. It is a manifestation of our vitality and restless imagination'". (Baker S 1983, A Dictionary of Australian Slang, 3rd Edition , Currey O'Neil, Melbourne (1st published 1959)).

Strine is an integral part of Australian English. Basically, it's rhyming slang, and it's used a lot. Many's the time I've used a strine phrase and had non-Aussies ask "...what does that even mean?"

There are loads of books on strine and our slang, too! (Though we don't call prawns shrimp. They're prawns. So "Throw another shrimp on the barbie" is wrong, as it would really be "Throw another prawn on the barbie." Barbie=barbeque. Not that you should throw seafood on plastic dolls.)

Personally, I love strine and our Aussie English, so here are thirteen of my favourite phrases/terms, with their meanings. Enjoy!

1. Flat out like a lizard drinking.
Meaning: I am extremely busy. OR I am extremely tired.

2. Fair suck of the sav!
Meaning: Seriously? OR Really? OR Hey, come on! ALSO an expression of wonder, awe or disbelief. Sav is also short for saveloy, a type of sausage.

3. Dry as a dead dingo's donger.
Meaning: I am extremely thirsty and require a drink immediately.

4. Like being flogged with a warm lettuce leaf.
Meaning: This is very ineffectual. The above phrase most famously used by Paul Keanting, former Prime Minister, to describe the opposition leader, John Hewson.

5. She'll be apples.
Meaning: Everything will be fine.

6. Full as a goog.
Meaning: I am extremely full and could not eat another thing. The 'oo' in goog should be pronouned like the 'oo' in cook. Goog is another word for egg.

7. Beyond the Black Stump.
Meaning: Somewhere that is far away and in the middle of nowhere.

8. Dead horse.
Meaning: Tomato sauce. This is similar to ketchup in the US.

9. Crack a fat.
Meaning: To get an errection.

10. Figjam.
Meaning: F-fuck I-I'm G-good, J-just A-ask M-me.

11. As cross as a frog in a sock. variation: Going/Went off like a frog in a sock.
Meaning: An extremely angry individual. Variation meaning: It was an amazing party/event.

12. Sandgroper.
Meaning: A resident of the state of Western Australia.

13. Chuck a yewy.
Meaning: Make a u-turn here/there/at the next set of traffic lights. [nb: doing it at traffic lights is illegal and dangerous.]

Comments

[captlychee.livejournal.com]

I should really look into that Baker book. We had the 59 edition when I was at school and it seemed dated even then, so I hope that thye have updated it for the 83 version. Of course, even that would be dated now. Such is langugage, or at least living language.

'Gully trap' was one that Barry Humphries mentioned that wasn't included in Baker's work, but Baker's original work was done in Sydney so our cabbage patcher and crow eater expressions didn't feature in it. I do hate the way that TV has made some of the regional expressions disappear, but at least we're now getting our own regional accents.

I wonder if Tony Abbot alienates people other than me by using expressions that are current in and local to Sydney only? It drives me nuts!

[misslj-author.livejournal.com]

What Sydney-centric ones does Abbot use? I tend not to listen to him if I can help it.

[captlychee.livejournal.com]

Well, put to the task I can't think of any other than 'motzah' but there are a lot more. I'll have to ring my Dad and see how he talks to remind me.

[misslj-author.livejournal.com]

Motzah. Is that supposed to be money? o.O

[captlychee.livejournal.com]

I think it means 'a very big thing' or 'a great amount'. Wayne Swann once used the phrase 'They've made a motzah on this' in reference to the profit made by the 'alcopop' companies. Julia Gillard is from South Australia, so it would be interesting to see what regional terms she uses.