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I need help from an Australian
Thanks for placing this subject in the proper section.
There's a goodreads group called "Aussie Readers", you might find good help there.
Marc wrote: "There's a goodreads group called "Aussie Readers", you might find good help there."Thanks for the note. I'd heard of them, but felt it would come off as rude to join a group just to immediately ask for a favor. I have two years with this group, so it felt like a more polite approach, even though the number of Australian members will be greatly reduced. (Not to mention those interested in a Zom Rom Com by an awesome, but unproven, author).
Phillip wrote: "Marc wrote: "There's a goodreads group called "Aussie Readers", you might find good help there."Thanks for the note. I'd heard of them, but felt it would come off as rude to join a group just to ..."
I just checked your groups, but you are not in any of the groups where I know Aussies. But most of the ones I know don't do much beta reading.
My biggest takeaway about Aussie slang from my time there was that they all call it “Strahlya”. Straw-ll-yeh, except compressed.Not a single person talked like Crocodile Dundee. Not a “fair dinkum” to be heard. 😢
Fair dinkum Trike? Also it’s more Straya now. We’ve dropped the “l” altogether. And the “aust” for that matter. Now if you will excuse me I’m as dry as a dead dingoes donga. It’s time for smoko. Hope you find an Aussie who can help mate. This one can’t I’m sorry.
I'm also an Australian, but am a writer in the middle of book stuff right now. I am a member of Aussie Readers too. It's a really nice group, and if you couched your request nicely, you might well find some receptive readers. Perhaps contact the moderators directly? They're very nice and don't bite much, but they do jump heavily on spammers.As Jacqueline said, it's definitely 'Straya' now. Sigh...
Hope your smoko was nice Jacqueline - and involved Tim Tams. I'm about to have dinner, and then a nice cuppa with my hubby.
Jacqueline wrote: "Fair dinkum Trike? Also it’s more Straya now. We’ve dropped the “l” altogether. And the “aust” for that matter. Now if you will excuse me I’m as dry as a dead dingoes donga. It’s time for smoko. ..."
Pretty soon it’ll just be “Stra.”
You could ask the Aussie group for recommendations of books that have slang and are written by Australian authors (this in addition to or instead of asking for beta readers). I'm reading a British author and there's plenty of slang; not for proper people :) I won't be using it myself for anything I'm writing, but it's a lot of fun to read. Incredibly witty. Hell Of A Bite, Mark Huntley-James
M.L. wrote: "You could ask the Aussie group for recommendations of books that have slang and are written by Australian authors (this in addition to or instead of asking for beta readers). I'm reading a British ..."Although if you want current slang, books are no help. Internet culture has fast-forwarded slang. When was the last time you heard anyone say “amirite”? Yet that was all the rage a couple years ago. Even current slang words like “that’s fire” are already diminishing in popularity.
That's a good point. If you want really current slang, it's kids. Then it makes it's way up to adults. But if it's too current, the reader the book is aimed at might not get it. Also, very, very current goes in and out fast. Some will stick, some doesn't.I don't know how much slang is in the book, but another option is putting some of it here. Beta reading is a big commitment. (Maybe someone will take it on.)
There's also when it's used, the rhythm of how it's used. And being character specific. I think that's when it works best. :)
One point to consider is WHERE it is set in Australia, because there may be local slang in addition to national slang. I have found this to be the case in both Canada and the States and can't see why Aussies would be any different.But more than that, you have to get a feel for how it is said. Any chance you could visit Australia? But even then, beware. I find it difficult to read books set in Canada written by people who have only ever visited it, and I mean ones published by large publishing houses. There are often glaring inaccuracies.
I agree Karin. I read The Bat by Jo Nesbo last year. It’s set in Australia and it really annoyed me with its inaccuracies. Some events took place in my home town and nothing was right. They pulled a tent boxing match out of the 60s into the 90s and honestly if you’re going to talk about Police or whatever know the right positions that we use over here. A country town doesn’t have a Chief of Police like in America. And they were going on about welcome to the Outback and they were in Nimbin. Couldn’t be further from it. It’s near the coast and green and lush. I live in the Outback. It’s miles away and it’s desert. Just a few of my gripes with it.
I appreciate all the responses and advice. I'm reached out to the Aussie Readers group and will hopefully find some takers. Thankfully, the way my book is written allows me to have people from all over Australia, though only Queensland (specifically Cairns) is still inhabited. It became the melting pot of Australia.
Melting would be right. It’s really hot and humid up there.
I love Cairns. Not sure if it would sustain a large population.
Phillip wrote: "I appreciate all the responses and advice. I'm reached out to the Aussie Readers group and will hopefully find some takers. Thankfully, the way my book is written allows me to have people from all ..."Cairns is super soggy and warm! Although beautiful.
Jacqueline wrote: "I agree Karin. I read The Bat by Jo Nesbo last year. It’s set in Australia and it really annoyed me with its inaccuracies. Some events took place in my home town and nothing was right. They pulled ..."That's awful, Jacqueline! I also used to live in what's officially 'the outback' (remote WA), and I really struggle when people write from a position of ignorance, and haven't taken time enough to really get to grips with the reality of what it is.
Leonie wrote: "Jacqueline wrote: "I agree Karin. I read The Bat by Jo Nesbo last year. It’s set in Australia and it really annoyed me with its inaccuracies. Some events took place in my home town and nothing was ..."Yeah Leonie I was tempted to throw the book across the room a number of times.
Yeah Hubby works in far western NSW. Not quite back-o-Bourke but definitely on the other side of the Black Stump. Especially if you think the Black Stump on Black Stump Way near Coolah east of Dubbo is the actual Black Stump lol It is classed as Outback. Most places west of Dubbo are. They get an extra week of Christmas school holidays too. We lived out past there for 5 years when the kids were young too. We just keep going back. I'm from just on the western side of the Blue Mountains.
I usually don't want to throw books set in Australia when they're written by Australians.
Jacqueline wrote: "Leonie wrote: "Jacqueline wrote: "I agree Karin. I read The Bat by Jo Nesbo last year. It’s set in Australia and it really annoyed me with its inaccuracies. Some events took place in my home town a..."We now live in the Upper Hunter, but prior to that it was the Pilbara in WA. When we first arrived in NSW, people would ask where we'd come from, and I'd say: "From the North-West" and then they'd reply: "Oh, out Moree way then?" 🤣🤣🤣Then I'd have to explain exactly how far 'North-West' I actually meant.
We used to have travel days included in our annual leave when we lived in Tom Price. Mostly because you did actually have to travel a very long way for leave - in any direction!
That's one thing I know about.....travel. I spend heaps of time driving between Hubby and here. It's about 9 hours on a good day. The dog is 9 months old and is already sick of being in the car. I mostly live at the beach near Macksville/Nambucca so I can look after my 91 year old father in law. I did get back out to the dry country for 5 weeks for a change. Got back last week. Got really annoyed at my neighbours. They were pressure cleaning their houses on Sunday. Between the two of them they were wasting water for 8 hours straight. No idea about conserving water. There's none to use out west at all.Anyhoo......such is life in Australia. Maybe this is helping.....
Trike wrote: "I love Cairns. Not sure if it would sustain a large population."The zombie apocalypse took care of the population problem. Not many people live in Australia after it. Those that do are either walking dead, scientists studying zombies, or people catering to the hunter tourists (with a few politicians sprinkled in). The zombies are free to roam the continent, so it cuts down on congestion.
Jacqueline wrote: "Anyhoo......such is life in Australia. Maybe this is helping....."It is helping. My POV character is from Minnesota, I picked Cairns partly because it would be a rough climate change for him. These comments have helped confirm that selection.
Jacqueline wrote: "It’s set in Australia and it really annoyed me with its inaccuracies."Thankfully, my book is a comedy. I figure if I misuse some slang (one character even jokes about purposely saying it wrong to tease the Yanks) then those in the know will have a new reason to laugh. Laugh WITH me or AT me, I'll still get you laughing.
Get it right...it’s never wrong to tease a Yank hahahaha
Leonie wrote: "Jacqueline wrote: "Leonie wrote: "Jacqueline wrote: "I agree Karin. I read The Bat by Jo Nesbo last year. It’s set in Australia and it really annoyed me with its inaccuracies. Some events took plac..."One thing I found difficult when I married my husband is that when Americans in the east say "west coast" they mean California and only California, so now I have to say the Canadian west coast (if you take a look at map you'll see what I mean).
This is not a criticism of their slang, just an observation (like calling most of the central US the mid-west--it's historically accurate but threw me off for years because it's not even west to my mind :) )
Jacqueline wrote: "Get it right...it’s never wrong to tease a Yank hahahaha"See, here's the thing. In Canada we call all Americans Yanks, but in the States that only applies to part of the States, so it goes both ways :) :).
Also, to a Canadian ear, all Americans have a drawl, but it's a matter of degree. To most American ears, Canadians say "a boot" for about, but we don't--we say it just like most Americans minus all drawl (at least where I'm from).
But this brings me to another point--how we hear. To me the accent in British Columbia is the most neutral English accent in the world, but I highly doubt that everyone hears it that way :) ! This is, and I'm going on a bit of a tangent, because how humans hear sounds is set very early on in our development (babies cry in differently in different parts of the world based on the language they hear when in the womb, too).
But, back to Australia--I am normally excellent at knowing by sound if someone is from Australia or New Zealand (I never guess England), but once in a while someone comes from some remote part of Australia and I have a bit of trouble because Aussies, like Canadians and Americans (and the British) don't have one national accent. I am not sure about Kiwis, because most of the ones I have met come from the North Island and it is a much smaller country.
Also, when I first saw a Bob and Doug McKenzie (sp?) film I thought that beer stores were a joke just for the comedy! Also the term hoser. Then I moved to the province of Ontario for a few years ago and found out that they had beer stores, etc! This was before Google and the widespread use of the internet.Plus, how native Americans and Canadian first nations have things set up is different. For example, with law enforcement. Where I grew up the Mounties policed both on and off the reserve because our area was too small to have its own police force, but some reserves with larger populations have their own police forces in conjunction with the government, etc. This means that in Canada if a crime is commited by a non-first nations person to a first nation person either on or off the reserve action can bet taken (this can be a serious problem in the States)
Yes, please note that in Canada it is correct to use the term reserve, not reservation--that is American. And never, ever call a Canadian American. Just don't. Nor should you call an Austrian German just because they speak the same language and border them :).
To an outsider a Canadian and an American do sound similar. I usually get it right though but do not call it until I’ve asked most of the time. Unless I’ve had an a boot and eh and then I say “you’re from Canada”. I’m not stupid enough to call a Canadian an American. I don’t have the normal “ocker” accent so I confuse people a lot. When we go overseas some people can’t guess Australia. Usually we’re just happy if they guess Southern Hemisphere. To an untrained ear Australian, Kiwi and South African sound the same. Kiwis say their vowels different to us. Six is sex and fish is fesh. So if someone asks for sex fesh they’re from New Zealand and want 6 fish.
It’s funny sometimes when we meet up with other Australians we get more ocker. In November we were eating at our favourite restaurant in Rome and some Australian girls were at the next table. We started talking and we all got very broad. There were a lot of fair dinkums, crikeys and other slang in there.
Actually a lot of Aussie slang came from the rhyming slang from Britain. Look was butchers hook which is now butchers. If you hear an Aussie saying they’ll have a butchers they’re having a look at/for something. Harold Holt is bolt (or run away after our Prime Minister Harold Holt disappeared in the 60s and was never found when he went swimming at the beach but many people still think he swam out to a Russian sub). If someone wants a dogs eye and dead horse they want a pie and sauce. Depends on the age but a lot of older people in some parts of the country (including my husband and my dear old dad) ask for a dogs eye and don’t forget the dead horse. There are some many others. And the language is a generational thing. A lot of young people use American words for stuff. They’re forgetting their heritage. I suppose they see a lot of the language as cringeworthy. Even though my 25 year old daughter can turn it on when needsbe.
I suppose taking that back when a mans wife is coming and people say “here comes trouble” it could be from the fact that in rhyming slang wife is “trouble and strife”. Honestly I don’t know what it is with us (and the Brits). Perfect small words and our slang for them is long.
We always add things onto people’s names. There are extra -o’s and -a’s and -ie’s and all sorts of things.
Oh and anyone called Blue or Bluey is or was probably a redhead.
Jacqueline wrote: "To an outsider a Canadian and an American do sound similar. I usually get it right though but do not call it until I’ve asked most of the time. Unless I’ve had an a boot and eh and then I say “you’..."And this makes zero sense to me because Americans have such a distinct drawl, and VERY different from the Aussie drawl or some of the British drawls (yes, a few have drawls) But then, most people here can NOT tell a Kiwi from an Aussie from a South African from someone from the UK (unless they are Scottish, from Northern Ireland or have a Cockney accent.) I have a fairly good ear for this sort of thing, I guess.
Also, there are MANY Canadian actors in American movies and TV shows, so it might be that it has lumped it together more for you. Many American shows are filmed in Canada, so many actors start off in supporting roles there and then some become big names (quite a few, actually.)
ALSO, I have met Kiwis and Aussies who can hear the difference between Canadians and Americans, but they may have picked up the nuances after moving here.
Phil why don't you post some of the slang and locations rather than trying to get people to read the whole book? I'm from NQ so I know the area very well. The last thing Cairns needs is more tourists...
A lot of the Canadian actors seem to be able to put their American accents on though. There are so many British, Australian, Canadian and Kiwi actors who can do American like native speakers. I was watching an interview with Australian actress Jackie Weaver last month (she normally has a broad Aussie accent) and she was saying that people argue about where she comes from because she can do all sorts of American accents from all over the country. Tom Holland who plays Spider-Man at the moment is the same. And the young Magneto and Professor X. They’re all Poms. I always though Xena was American but it turns out that Lucy Lawless is a Kiwi. So is Karl Urban (Who was on an episode of Xena I saw recently with his full Kiwi on but as Bones on Star Trek and that you’d never know). It’s actually kind of funny. Our actors do their accents really well but theirs make the characters out to be the comedy sidekick. Most of the American actors just can’t do accents outside of America. Anyhoo...
And then you’ve got Sean Connery who just plays every role as a Scotsman lol
Kim wrote: "Phil why don't you post some of the slang and locations rather than trying to get people to read the whole book? I'm from NQ so I know the area very well. The last thing Cairns needs is more touris..."Sure. The context will be lost, and remember the only habitable part of the country is Cairns, so slang was taken from all around.
Here are a few examples:
"First, be here at eight each morning. Use the badge they made for you to buzz yourself in. Grab a cuppa and check the board."
Rule four: Never separate. We're one team. We don't search different buildings and fossick for supplies."
"I suppose. Once we admitted they were zombies, I was game as Ned Kelly for bashing them. It was easy when I didn't know them. That changed when Spencer turned."
"Pounder? What exactly do you pound?" a teen asked.
"His dad's clacker," Jasper joked.
Scarlett gestured at her body. "The fat girl isn't supposed to get the foreign spunk."
"Calm down, everyone," Chloe said. "I took a Captain Cook and saw another herd about a klick away."
"Don't make me drink with the flies."
"You're just ace, Sam." Scarlett pointed at a burger named Dingo's Favorite. "This one will do. It has a fried bum-nut, pickled beets, and pineapple. It sounds dodgy, but your mouth will thank me."
"Pounder, what are you earbashing Yanks doing? You're missing all the white pointers."
"I'm sorry about that; that dill was painful."
Theo nodded suggestively. "Yeah. I crack a fat just hearing her name. Especially when she's all tarted up."
"Ugg! Who opened their lunch?" Chloe complained.
Mark shrugged. "Who cares? It keeps Zombie Walkabout up and running, which keeps piss in my stubbie holder."
That's probably enough. Hopefully some of you made it this far down the list. Again, context is lost, but that may make your criticism better. Thanks in advance.
Not pickled beets. It’s beetroot. Can’t have a hamburger without it.
And Captain Cook is good for look too.
What's your demographic? Of characters and audience. Rhyming slang is pretty old, it would be rare for someone under 50 to use it. "Fossick" is pretty old too. I haven't heard that word in a long time. The usage of "dill" seems off, I don't think it's being used correctly.
Stubby cooler is better than stubby holder.
And definitely beetroot, never beets.
Is still go with stubby holder. I’ve never heard of stubby cooler.
Jacqueline wrote: "Not pickled beets. It’s beetroot. Can’t have a hamburger without it."Already changed. Thanks.
Kim wrote: "What's your demographic? Of characters and audience. Rhyming slang is pretty old, it would be rare for someone under 50 to use it. "Fossick" is pretty old too. I haven't heard that word in a long..."
My three major Australian characters are a man in his fifties (Mark), a woman in her forties (Chloe), and another woman in her twenties (Scarlett).
Jacqueline wrote: "A lot of the Canadian actors seem to be able to put their American accents on though. There are so many British, Australian, Canadian and Kiwi actors who can do American like native speakers..."Some are *incredibly* good but there are always little things that trip them up. For instance, in one episode of The Walking Dead, Brit-playing-a-generic-Southerner Andrew Lincoln says, “We’ll drop him off 20 miles away.” But he emphasized it the British way: “Twenty MILES away” rather than the American way, “Twenty miles aWAY.”
The British actress/singer Cynthia Erivo absolutely *crushes* American accents. In Bad Times at the El Royale she does an amazing West Coast accent and in Widows she nails the Great Lakes accent and now in Harriet she kills a Southern accent. Truly amazing.
I'd also go with stubby holder. Have never heard of stubby cooler. (From WA - we'd say "Need a wetsuit for your beer/softie?")And definitely beetroot. NEVER beets.
I understand dill, but even for me (54) it's old. I'm assuming you're using it to refer to an idiot?
I used to call my uncle Bill the Dill. I still use it. Nearly 56.
Jacqueline wrote: "I used to call my uncle Bill the Dill. I still use it. Nearly 56."🤣🤣🤣
Leonie wrote: "I understand dill, but even for me (54) it's old. I'm assuming you're using it to refer to an idiot?"Correct. That one came from one of many websites I looked up for "Aussie slang."
I have to start work soon. I took command of a battalion two months ago and still have much to learn. However, I wanted to give a little more context in my research process/intent.This book is a comedy, so I wanted phrases that I found more amusing. I watched some television shows and movies and cross-referenced them with the lists of slang terms I found on multiple websites. Unfortunately, I couldn't find any that listed popularity or geography for those terms (hence the request from the benevolent people in this group). I definitely appreciate your insight and will gladly take any suggestions of suitable substitutes for modern times.
Most Australians were infected and turned when zombies first appeared. It took two years for the Australian Defence Force to contain the plague. It involved using nuclear weapons on the western half of Australia. The survivors mostly emigrated away to other countries. The resilient and the opportunistic are the only citizens left. They all live in Queensland, the only part of Australia inhabited by anything other than zombies and Aborigines (slow zombies aren't nearly as tough as crocodiles, so no big deal to them). This mix of Australians was also to help explain my selection of slang from all across the continent. After ten years, I figured the language would evolve enough for total use.
Characters hunt zombies wearing chainmail armor, riot helmets, and plate gauntlets/boots. They also have a radio, radiation suit, and dosimeter. I can't bite through a leather coat with healthy gums and teeth, so zombies can't eat through metal. The safety record is perfect. Each character also gets one blunted weapon (nunchuks, frying pans, cricket bats, etc). This way fratricide isn't a concern. The hunts are only two hours, so no bathroom breaks (unless you have an adult nappie).
The characters in my book are from all over Australia, not necessarily Cairns. There are four main characters:
1. Sam "Pounder" Ponsness - an American from Saint Cloud, Minnesota. He originally goes to Zombie Walkabout as a tourist, but impresses the guides enough to be added as an intern for a few months. This is partly because ten years of zombie bashing has greatly reduced a population that isn't growing anymore. The Zombie Walkabout owner hopes a semi-pro (trying to go pro) mix martial artist with deep pockets (his parents' money) can stimulate more global tourists. He's the POV character, so I didn't try to change spelling to Australian variants (I had to give myself a break somewhere). He's a fit man in his twenties and very attractive.
Mark Tanaka - Formerly in the Special Operations Command during the Zombie Incident of 2010 (unofficially referred to as the Bugger). He's a guide at Zombie Walkabout and in his mid-fifties. He's a rugged man who enjoys playing pranks on his Yank sidekick, Pounder. As a way to nod to my readers, Mark invents slang and misuses terms to mess with Sam. He also tries to get Sam to use American slang to impress the locals, but Sam points out saying, "Howdy, yous guys." doesn't make sense. It was another attempt to say the slang could be off. His hometown isn't identified.
Chloe White - She's another guide at Zombie Walkabout and Mark's partner/work wife. She's a widow in her forties and the mother of Eli. She is an optimistic woman who often brightens the room with her smile. Her home town isn't identified.
Scarlett Harris - She's a PhD student studying zombie medicine (they used it to cure paralysis and are working toward dementia). She's in her twenties and has a body image problem. She is Sam's infatuation and is mutually attracted to him. She's from Alice Springs (the Alice?).
The story (from Sam's POV) shows the various types of zombie hunts. There are traditional trips, ones focused on gathering scientific specimens, movie crews getting zombie extras, trophy hunts (looking for specific zombies with bounties on them from their rich/powerful family/friends who survived), church groups praying for the souls of the infected, and many more.
I hope that quickly summarizes enough to help you help me. Thanks again.
Phil
I think stubby cooler might be the QLD term, that's where I'm from. "Dill" is used more in an affectionate way than in an insulting way, just depends on what you're going for there. For the older characters using older slang is fine, your younger character wouldn't use it but would understand it.
I have a 69,000 word manuscript called Zombie Walkabout. It's a comedy set in Australia after a zombie apocalypse was contained. Though Australia was mostly devastated, the rest of the world is fine. Tourists now fly from all over to hunt zombies (the only form of revenue still available to Australia). I use a lot of slang and locations. I want to make sure they're accurate. If you are willing to read and provide tips, I'd greatly appreciate it. I plan to release the book this fall, so I would need a turn around by September. Just PM me if you're interested. Thank you in advance.