Aussie Readers discussion
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Well for a start in Australia the guy is more likely to be owning/running a pub than a bar - though in the big cities there are some bars too but pubs are much more prevalent than American-style bars.
If it's supposed to be somewhere that lots of British tourists go to visit/work then I'd set it in Queensland (especially the far north like Cairns) or beach-side suburbs of Sydney
As for movies to watch that have some people of similar age...um from last year....Tomorrow When the War Began (though they're a bit younger but language would be similar), Dirty Deeds and Getting Square both from a few years ago - sort of black comedies but the characters would be the right age
If it's supposed to be somewhere that lots of British tourists go to visit/work then I'd set it in Queensland (especially the far north like Cairns) or beach-side suburbs of Sydney
As for movies to watch that have some people of similar age...um from last year....Tomorrow When the War Began (though they're a bit younger but language would be similar), Dirty Deeds and Getting Square both from a few years ago - sort of black comedies but the characters would be the right age
Carmel wrote: "I have had a request from one of my American friends about the language appropriate for a male character she wishes to feature in a book she's writing, so I'd love some thoughts from our members pl..."Carmel, if I remember correctly, Aussie males use the word 'root' of have a 'naughty' for sex. Sheila, for girl or woman, and say things like, "Bloody oath, mate." meaning certainly true. They call alcohol booze, get bored shitless, use the word outback or bush for anywhere not near a town. Cat's piss for mean and stingy. A coldie is a beer and a corker is something good, could even be a good-looking chick. They get mad as a cut snake, and a barbie is a barbeque, nota doll.
Fair suck of the sav = disbelief.
G'day = Hello.
Galah = fool.
Date = arsehole, get off you're date. (LOL)
Give it a burl = have a go.
Mate = buddy.
Mongrel = horrible person.
Old fella = penis.
Oldies = parents.
They like to perve on women. (Check em out.)
Rack off is used to say piss off, or Rack off hairy legs. LOL.
A roadie is a beer you take with you.
A Ripper is something great.
A root rat is someone who is always looking for sex.
They say things like: She'll be right, mate.
A snag is a sausage.
A tallie is a large bottle of beer and a tinnie is a can of beer, but could also be a tin boat.
Tucker is food.
A wog is the flu.
A wowser is prude or spoilsport.
Yobbo is a uncouth person.
That was fun writing that. Hope some of it helps. I'll ask my daughter what Aussie men are like these days as she's single and dating in Sydney.
"I reckon" is something which I've had pointed out to me as "something Australians say".The only equivalent of 'cool' I can think of is 'grouse'. "That'd be grouse," he said, nodding approvingly. [But only in certain States, I think.]
I'd watch using very Australian language if the character is a contemporary man in his twenties. No one I know would use "fair suck of the sav" or "wowser" unless they were pulling your leg (and I'd be very careful using 'wog' unless you're aware of all the meanings). People may use some of the other slang, depending on how 'ocker' they are, but most are raised on a mix of Australian, British and US television, and that shows in our speech.
It also depends on the person's background, wealth, what their parents were like, what State they're from.
While any Australian might use any of these words, they'd probably use them in moderation. If I met someone who told me they had a ripper of a weekend at the footie, were dying for a snag, but had a dust up with some yobbos, and now just wanted to rack off home, I'd think they were taking the piss. :)
Patricia wrote: "Carmel wrote: "I have had a request from one of my American friends about the language appropriate for a male character she wishes to feature in a book she's writing, so I'd love some thoughts from..."This is where your friend will have to watch some movies to see this all in context. A lot of the terms Patricia wrote are spot on, but using them will require more than just the knowledge of the words they replace.
If you can decipher this one without hesitation, you're a fair dinkum Aussie: "Shazza and Dazza played Acca Dacca on the way to Macca's."Monya (aka Mary)
Carmel wrote: "Ha ha Monya Sharon & Darren played AC/DC on the way to McDonalds!!!"Told you it was easy. If you're true blue.
well... obviously she has to put one of the funniest and more colourful aussie terms in - 'budgie smugglers' hahahaummm how about: stubbies, bogans, slags, saying "I know, aye..." in agreement, cheers for thanks and even (if there's swearing) Fn/ bloody oath... :P
She can put G'day in there for good measure of course, but just don't milk it too much because otherwise we just sound like try-hard wankers... depends more on what area - rural, urban, inner city, coastal etc... I vote melbourne because there are so many areas in and just outside of the city to place it... Maybe even the sunshine coast in QLD... definately warmer... :)
Hi Carmel, I agree with what a lot of the others here are saying, in that Aussie-isms used too frequently or in the wrong place can appear fake. It's dangerous because any Australians reading it will spot the fake a mile away. I had this reverse problem when I was living and writing in New York, not even with slang but just everyday language (like saying trash instead of bins, and sidewalk instead of footpath, etc etc).
Have you considered workshopping your character? When I was struggling to grasp the character of an old man who received letters from a stranger, I briefed an actor-friend on the character, then I posted the letters to him so that he could better gauge the old man's reactions. Perhaps you could write your character, then send the scenes to a couple of Aussies (hopefully in the same or similar age groups and crowds) and ask them to 'edit' for a more truthful outcome.
Have you considered workshopping your character? When I was struggling to grasp the character of an old man who received letters from a stranger, I briefed an actor-friend on the character, then I posted the letters to him so that he could better gauge the old man's reactions. Perhaps you could write your character, then send the scenes to a couple of Aussies (hopefully in the same or similar age groups and crowds) and ask them to 'edit' for a more truthful outcome.
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I just keep thinking... "Something is wrotten in the state of Denmark." But I am a nerd.
coming from the coast guys down here dont really use much of the real aussy slang like Patricia mentioned
however there a few they do, like f***ing oath, or just oath ( depending which type of guy this is).
mate, oi, screw that, hells yea... there are more but i cant think of anything at the moment
hope i have "wrotten" enough to help :D
however there a few they do, like f***ing oath, or just oath ( depending which type of guy this is).
mate, oi, screw that, hells yea... there are more but i cant think of anything at the moment
hope i have "wrotten" enough to help :D
I looked up wrotten in the urban dictionary.
Carmel if it makes you feel better. I once made a 'verbal typo' while reading the rural news on live radio. I said semen was being collected FROM farmers, rather than FOR farmers, to breed superior beef cattle. You can imagine the calls we got that morning.
And apparently I can't tell the difference between a comma and a full stop (see above)
Haha that's hilarious! Now we can all feel better.
Melanie wrote: "coming from the coast guys down here dont really use much of the real aussy slang like Patricia mentionedhowever there a few they do, like f***ing oath, or just oath ( depending which type of guy..."
Must chime in here. It used to be "bl**dy oath", the American influence brought the "F" word into common use. And isn't "screw" an Americanism?
Don't worry, Carmel, we all trip over our tongues sometimes. I'm old and suffer occasional short circuits of the brain. I completely forget for from one second to one week something I know perfectly well.
Actually, I once heard a scientist say that if we knew how the brain suddenly retrieved lost bits of information, we'd know a lot more about how it works!
As for "wrotten" - I don't know why it is, Murphy's Law perhaps - but typos are almost always hilarious. Which is why, as a writer and an internet user, I've learned to check my emails and entries before I send/post them!
Monya (aka Mary)*
*And yes, I edited this post!
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That is hilarious!!!! I can imagine how embarrassed you were!!! Oh..LOLOL
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however there a few they do, like f***ing oath, or just oath ( depending w..."
I'm afraid I'm the same Monya...have to reread, and preview before I send/post...lol
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Awwwwww gee Carmel...I'm sorry...I will cease and desist from now on in!!!;) LOL
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:D
I live in Brisbane at the moment and was in Cairns for ten years before that. Here in Brissie I have noticed locals are using 'Sweet' in a context where 'cool' would be used.A lot of that list that Pat posted; well they are classics or maybe stereotypes but I do not know many people who would use them that often unless they were pulling the leg of a visitor.
There is a lot more regional variation within Australia than most people expect. So if you are making a character from Perth (for example) you would have accents and expressions quite diffrent than you would get in Sydney or Cairns.
For the location, I would probably choose NSW or Queensland depends on what sort of story they are going with.
As for expressions, it can vary dependant on education and location - though it's nowhere near as distinct as hat you'd find in England.
G'day and mate are fairly common in my exerience though if over used they will stick out like dogs balls :)
It would be perfectly fine to say something is 'cool'. In Australia 'shag' would be interchangeable with 'root'.
For the language I think it might be good for them to chase down some Australian films - a range so they can pick up differences. I'll try and think of a few. Then maybe get a beta reader from Aus.