Aussie Readers discussion
Talk Genre
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Questions About Language From a North American
Dina wrote: "June,Thank you! So maybe I should have my character say plait.
It's kind of a weird situation. My character is a male Aussie ghost who died in 1990, and he's making a joke about it.
You know......"
from Holland but came here at 2 & a half, so fairly thoroughly Aussie. Lived in NSW for most of my life. Evening meal was tea when I was little but now we call it dinner; I wear a swimming costume which I shorten to swimmers; drinks that fizz are fizzy drinks. As an aside, my Mum used to say in Dutch prik limonade because the bubbles prickled your nose, but I don't know whether this was a made-up term or if they actually say that in Holland.....
I lived in most states Dina so plait was widespread. We used to call dinner 'tea'. I don't know what Aussies call it now because, although here, I use the American words after living there for so long. I also call 'fizzy drinks' soft drinks. Some Americans call them 'pop' or 'soda'. Sorry to be confusing. It also depends on what 'class' of people you are depicting. I think a higher educated/more affluent Aussie would have said 'dinner' not 'tea'. AND, what era - time frame you are setting your story in.Language changes over time. e.g. Mayonnaise was unheard of in Australia when I first left here and I didn't know what it was when I landed in the States. Now it is everywhere here. Likewise, they say 'petrol' here - but a few are starting to say ' gas'. OR biscuit here - cookie in the USA. A biscuit in the USA is a scone here. LOL.
Yes, I agree, June, about affluence and era. And even more confusing when you read English novels where tea can be something else again. I would use soft drink for fizzy drinks too, but soft drink might also include non-fizzy eg juice ie anything non-alcoholic
And we have scones here but they're not like scones there. I don't know if there's an Australian equivalent. Anyway, makes sense about affluence and era. Maybe that's more of an influence than location.
In my home on Maui we have biskets and manju, not like the pic at wikipedia, more of a glowing tan. You can buy scones in some bakeries.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manj%C5%AB
Grew up in WA, now in NSW for the last eleven years. Tea/Dinner (interchangeable).
Bathers in WA, now swimmers so that our kids can understand us.
Soft drinks "softies" or fizzy drink.
And it's always biscuits, or bikkies, and never cookies. And I have the best recipe for scones if anyone wants it :)
And of course it's always polite to ask if anyone wants a wetsuit for their softie.
Stan wrote: "In my home on Maui we have biskets and manju, not like the pic at wikipedia, more of a glowing tan. You can buy scones in some bakeries.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manj%C5%AB"
The manju looks really good.
Leonie wrote: "And of course it's always polite to ask if anyone wants a wetsuit for their softie."I've not heard that one before. What does it mean? Glass for soda? Ice?
SydneyTea or dinner- we use both
Cossies (as in swimming costume)
Soft drink
Dina wrote: "Leonie wrote: "And of course it's always polite to ask if anyone wants a wetsuit for their softie."I've not heard that one before. What does it mean? Glass for soda? Ice?"
I'm guessing this is a neoprene sleeve for the drink can to keep it cold. Am I right?
Kristy wrote: "SydneyTea or dinner- we use both
Cossies (as in swimming costume)
Soft drink"
Yes, cossies I might have said some years ago. As they say, language is dynamic.
Marianne wrote: "Dina wrote: "Leonie wrote: "And of course it's always polite to ask if anyone wants a wetsuit for their softie."I've not heard that one before. What does it mean? Glass for soda? Ice?"
I'm guess..."
That's it! It can also be known as a stubby holder. Having said that, stubbies are either a particular shaped glass bottle (short and squat) or shorts - usually considered a fashion faux pas unless you were wearing them in the seventies and eighties for work.
Leonie wrote: "Grew up in WA, now in NSW for the last eleven years. Tea/Dinner (interchangeable).
Bathers in WA, now swimmers so that our kids can understand us.
Soft drinks "softies" or fizzy drink.
And it's a..."
Leonie, I make the worlds worst scones...any tips?
☼♄Jülie wrote: "Leonie wrote: "Grew up in WA, now in NSW for the last eleven years. Tea/Dinner (interchangeable).
Bathers in WA, now swimmers so that our kids can understand us.
Soft drinks "softies" or fizzy dri..."
I use the lemonade scones recipe. Here it is!
Preheat your oven to hot. (Mine is around 200-210 degrees)
4 cups of SR flour
300mL cream (thickened or whipping)
300mL lemonade (can be ginger ale, soda water depending on how sweet you want them to be) I measure my lemonade in the cream container.
Mix everything together - the mixture should be somewhat sticky. Press it out to about 2cm thick on a floury bench and cut the scones out. You should get about 18 of them. Brush the tops with what's left in the cream container.
Flour a baking tray and put the scones next to each other and cook for around 15-20 minutes. They're cooked when the centre ones sound hollow when tapped.
Pop them on a rack with a clean tea towel over the top to cool slightly if you wish or enjoy them hot.
A variation on the recipe is soda water instead of lemonade and then sprinkle grated cheese over the top for a savoury scone instead.
I agree - the lemonade recipe is hands down the best. Leonie - don't forget to mention to serve with jam and an indecent quantity of whipped cream!
Leonie wrote: "☼♄Jülie wrote: "Leonie wrote: "Grew up in WA, now in NSW for the last eleven years. Tea/Dinner (interchangeable).
Bathers in WA, now swimmers so that our kids can understand us.
Soft drinks "softi..."
Thanks Leonie, will try those out :-)
Valerie wrote: "I agree - the lemonade recipe is hands down the best. Leonie - don't forget to mention to serve with jam and an indecent quantity of whipped cream!"
Lol...what's a scone without a serve of jam and an indecent quantity of whipped cream :~*
☼♄Jülie wrote: "Valerie wrote: "I agree - the lemonade recipe is hands down the best. Leonie - don't forget to mention to serve with jam and an indecent quantity of whipped cream!"
Lol...what's a scone without a..."
Mmm.... yes, jam and cream! On this subject, our daughter made these in her accommodation at uni tonight. Apparently she's allowed to 'practice' on her house mates if she wishes :)
Mod
I'm from Sydney.When I was young our midday meal was Dinner and evening was Tea. It has now changed to Lunch and Dinner. My mum still says Tea and my children laugh, to them tea is a drink.
Dina wrote: "Where are you from/where do you live? What do you call your evening meal? What do you wear to swim? And what do you call fizzy drinks?..."Was born in England, brought up in Africa, boarding school in England, emigrated to Australia and settled in NSW, then married and moved interstate to NT
We have dinner in the evening, I wear bathers (but I have heard swimmers, cozzies, togs and tights)
And I call fizzy drinks by their brand name - so a drink of coke, diet coke, lemonade, fanta, sprite etc.
And I have a biscuit not a cookie, although cookie seems to be getting more and more common!
Sally906 wrote: "We have dinner in the evening, I wear bathers (but I have heard swimmers, cozzies, togs and tights)Tights. That's a new one for me.
I didn't realize people were saying "cookie" over there.
Did you notice major language differences between Africa, England, and Australia?
BTW, thanks to everyone for answering my questions : )
Mod
Phrynne wrote: "Where did you live in Africa Sally?"Nigeria for 7 years and then Gambia for 2. While we were in Gambia I was sent to boarding school in England so only there Christmas and Summer holidays.
I agree that braid sounds more American. We would always use the term plait, for the noun and verb.
Mod
Nigeria for 7 years and then Gambia for 2. While we were in Gambia I was sent to boarding school in England so only there Christmas and Summer ..."
I've only been to the Southern parts - South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Swaziland. They are all beautiful countries.
Thought of another one:Shorts here are outerwear = short trousers, but in the US I believe they can refer to underwear which we would call boxer shorts.
So here it is quite acceptable for men to walk around in their shorts.....especially in hot weather
Usually shorts are outerwear in the US. Underwear is either boxers or briefs. That question is always asked of our politicians by mischievous college students.
Stan wrote: "Usually shorts are outerwear in the US. Underwear is either boxers or briefs. That question is always asked of our politicians by mischievous college students."That's strange, because I have definitely read books where shorts refers to underwear, so maybe it depends where in USA the author hails from.
Marianne wrote: "Stan wrote: "Usually shorts are outerwear in the US. Underwear is either boxers or briefs. That question is always asked of our politicians by mischievous college students."That's strange, beca..."
Good point. I remember when I was young that some relatives did call underwear, shorts.
Our friends from the UK always laugh when we say pants (for trousers) because they say pants for underpants.
Stan wrote: "Aloha from Maui,
I am interested in cultural language drift, especially the differences between British English, North American English, and Australian English. I can't hear the difference between..."
As a Canadian from Vancover I figure I sound American - there is a difference in mannerisms though. But you can easily pick out a french Canadian (which is a twist on the france french accent) and/or a newfie (which is almost like an irish, scottish, canadian mixture).
I am interested in cultural language drift, especially the differences between British English, North American English, and Australian English. I can't hear the difference between..."
As a Canadian from Vancover I figure I sound American - there is a difference in mannerisms though. But you can easily pick out a french Canadian (which is a twist on the france french accent) and/or a newfie (which is almost like an irish, scottish, canadian mixture).
Oh Melissa! You do sound "American" until you say "out" or "about." Something almost Scottish about Canadian pronunciation there. I get a kick out of it because otherwise there's no difference. Oh I live in Seattle so we have a lot of contact here and there with you all in B.C.
Linda - aw yes, Seattle (you will find lots of loyal seahawks fans in BC). It's fascinating the difference in language - for example Canadians refer to the USA as "The States" instead of the United States. What everyone calls a beanie, we call a toque.
I was talking to a Kiwi friend of mine yesterday and she thinks it is hilariously cute that we call Candy "Candy" not "Lollies" and "freezies, "Freezies" not Ice Lollies.
I was talking to a Kiwi friend of mine yesterday and she thinks it is hilariously cute that we call Candy "Candy" not "Lollies" and "freezies, "Freezies" not Ice Lollies.
Melissa wrote: "Linda - aw yes, Seattle (you will find lots of loyal seahawks fans in BC). It's fascinating the difference in language - for example Canadians refer to the USA as "The States" instead of the United..."We call them Lollies here too & "Freezies"?? Im guessing they are what we call Icy Poles
Melissa wrote: "Linda - aw yes, Seattle (you will find lots of loyal seahawks fans in BC). It's fascinating the difference in language - for example Canadians refer to the USA as "The States" instead of the United..."I remember hearing people calling chocolate bars 'candy' on the TV when I was a kid. It always made me giggle, because candy when I was growing up in Western Australia, was only stuff like Blackpool rock - you know, the hard stick stuff: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_(co...
Oh I missed this!I find that even within Australian english, the different states have different accents - I guess sort of similar to America but probably less drastic, nothing like a Bronx accent or what have you. I usually find that South Australians in general are a bit more... well spoken? To put it offensively! :P than the eastern states. I'm biased obviously, but everyone I've met from Queensland in particular are very distinguishable from others.
Not to mention the bizarre pronunciations that some of the eastern states have. 'Cass-ell' instead of castle, 'graff' instead of graph, etc.
Liam, are you saying the eastern states pronounce those words more like Americans? I'm trying to see the difference in your examples. Do you pronounce the t in castle? How do you pronounce graph? To me, both of those examples only have one possible pronunciation and I'm wondering what I'm missing? I hate missing things.
RitaSkeeter wrote: "You have to say one version with a long 'a' rather than a short 'a'. So caasle vs cassel. Or graaph vs graf.
Maybe someone else can explain better - I don't know how to do the funky pronunciation ..."
The A is one of the ways I can tell an AUstralian from a Kiwi ... They pronounce it like a long 'E' almost like Ceestle and Australian pronounces it like a hard, sharp, 'A'
Maybe someone else can explain better - I don't know how to do the funky pronunciation ..."
The A is one of the ways I can tell an AUstralian from a Kiwi ... They pronounce it like a long 'E' almost like Ceestle and Australian pronounces it like a hard, sharp, 'A'
Mod
Graph against GRARF
Victorians say the first version (my dad always used to tease me as he was born in Victoria) whereas I say NEWCARSLE... lol
RitaSkeeter wrote: "Melissa wrote: "RitaSkeeter wrote: "You have to say one version with a long 'a' rather than a short 'a'. So caasle vs cassel. Or graaph vs graf.
Maybe someone else can explain better - I don't kn..."
lol, you know how to pick a Canadian from an American - Invite them over to your hose, the person who takes their shoes off is likely Canadian. I was genuinely shocked when I discovered that it really isn't a thing they doo in America
Maybe someone else can explain better - I don't kn..."
lol, you know how to pick a Canadian from an American - Invite them over to your hose, the person who takes their shoes off is likely Canadian. I was genuinely shocked when I discovered that it really isn't a thing they doo in America
RitaSkeeter wrote: "Melissa wrote: "RitaSkeeter wrote: "Melissa wrote: "RitaSkeeter wrote: "You have to say one version with a long 'a' rather than a short 'a'. So caasle vs cassel. Or graaph vs graf.
Maybe someone..."
oh me too - but I was shocked when i learned this wasn't always common practice south of the border
Maybe someone..."
oh me too - but I was shocked when i learned this wasn't always common practice south of the border
Some off and some not here too. There are enough that prefer shoes off that a lot of places that come into your house, like maintenance personnel, often remove shoes without asking or wear booties.OH MY GOODNESS! The extra r! We have an American version of that in the Midwest. Like 'warsh' instead of wash.
Sarah wrote: "OH MY GOODNESS! The extra r! We have an American version of that in the Midwest. Like 'warsh' instead of wash. "Not really an R, we just stress/stretch the A more while Victorians say it quickly. Caaahsell vs cassel, graaaahf vs graff.
I've got a few friends who always take their shoes off - usually guys who've worked as laborers or whatever cos they've gotten used to having muddy shoes - and a few who don't because they think their feet-stink will annihilate us all.
we also have the Newfie accent here in Canada which is like an Irish, Scottish mix they pronounce things likes mudder or fadder
RitaSkeeter wrote: "Melissa wrote: "we also have the Newfie accent here in Canada which is like an Irish, Scottish mix they pronounce things likes mudder or fadder"
Is the accent quite varied across Canada in the wa..."
It doesn't really vary much until you hit the province of Quebec. Quebecois have a strong French Canadian accent and depending on the city some do not even speak english.After that you hit the Maritime provinces where it is an irish/Scottish mix
Is the accent quite varied across Canada in the wa..."
It doesn't really vary much until you hit the province of Quebec. Quebecois have a strong French Canadian accent and depending on the city some do not even speak english.After that you hit the Maritime provinces where it is an irish/Scottish mix
Thank you! So maybe I should have my character say plait.
It's kind of a weird situation. My character is a male Aussie ghost who died in 1990, and he's making a joke about it.
You know...I'm wondering if it could be regional? Maybe in certain states/territories, they say braid and others they say plaits.
Kind of like tea vs. dinner. Names for what you wear to go swimming. Drinks that fizz.
Speaking of that...just for fun, if anyone wants to answer.
Where are you from/where do you live? What do you call your evening meal? What do you wear to swim? And what do you call fizzy drinks?