English is English.
Well, not really. Don’t you reckon mate?
Not only has it been an experience learning the new surroundings here in Melbourne, it’s been a journey learning the lingo.
Day one on the job – I walk into the office bright-eyed, bushy-tailed, asking everyone, “How are you?”
No one would place their words the same as I. I quickly adapted to, “How’s it going?” Australians also say this as if it were one word. How’s’it-going?
Fair enough – that adaption is obvious and easy. But geesh, let’s walk though some other fun stuff. I’ll place the Aussie phrase/word, followed by the American.
Reckon —> Don’t you think
Hotel —-> Bar/pub
Partner —-> Serious girlfriend or boyfriend
Bushwalking —–> Hiking
Flat white, long black, macchiato —-> Coffee
Fancy —-> Like (Example of using fancy would be, “Do you fancy yoga?”)
Keen —-> Interested (On a daily basis, I hear “keen” probably 15 times)
Lovely, Gorgeous, Beautiful —–> Nice (Could you imagine your boyfriend or brother saying, “That was a beautiful coffee?” You’d be shocked here. Yet, I admit I like the affectionate words used for the simplest things)
No worries —–> Okay (I have caught onto this trend. Just as someone finishes asking a question, “No worries,” falls out of my mouth)
Footy —-> Australian Football
Chips —–> French fries
Prawns —–> shrimp (Menus always throw me for a whirl here)
Pissed ———> Drunk
Cheers ———> Thank you, Hello, Bye, it means almost anything (Again, I hear this about 50 times a day)
Carpark —–> Parking Spot/Parking garage
Footpath —–> Sidewalk
Bugger ——> darn or expression of dissatisfaction
Biscuit ——-> Cookie (You should have heard me trying to describe biscuit in terms of Bob Evan’s biscuits. Tough crowd)
Boot ——-> Trunk (of car)
Boots ——> Cleats, like soccer cleats
So if you could imagine, we are all speaking English but conversations can take many different directions.
Cheers to you from afar to you and good health!
