The Aussie Test

---

We spent more than two weeks in Egypt and Jordan as the only Americans along with a group of ten Aussies. As we managed to translate what they were saying, we all worked together to create this dictionary:

AUSSIE ENGLISH AND THE TRANSLATION TO AMERICAN
Breakie means Breakfast
Barbie means BBQ/charcoal grill
Sparrow’s fart means Early in the morning: “up at sparrow’s fart”
Fair dinkum means Wow!
Mozzies means Mosquitoes
Dunny means Outhouse
Pear-shaped means Bad situation: “everything went pear shaped”
Lollies means Hard candies
Speccy means Spectacular
Free-balling means Men going without underwear (US: going commando)
Cuppa means Cup of tea. Tea is supper and often doesn’t include tea
Mackers means McDonald’s
Blood oath means I agree with what you said.
Who’s f—king this cat? means Who’s in charge?
Tinny means Aluminum (NOT aluminium!) motorboat
Togs/swimmers/cozzies means Swimming suit
Lounge means Living room - may be formal or informal
Ginga means Someone with red hair
Bogan means Redneck
Get on your bike means Give it up and just get out of here
Taking a piss means Teasing someone
Heaps means Lots of
Chrissy means Christmas
Prezzies means On Chrissy, you get prezzies.
Thongs means Flip-flops
Boardies means Long swimming trunks (board shorts)
Trackydacks means Running suit
Scabbing means Mooching
Bludging means Mooching
Sunnies means Sunglasses
Beanie means Knit cap (in TN, this is a toboggan)
Falcon (Taking a …) means To get hit on the head
Sloppy joe means Sweater
Jumper means Sweater
Sheila means Woman
Bloke means Man
Pom means Nasty term for an Englishman
Budgie smuggler means Speedo swimsuit (US: grape smuggler)
Footie means Any kind of football
Long drop means Out house
Shout (a beer) means Treat someone (to a beer)
Arvo means Afternoon
Bog means Poop
Blind mullet means Poop
Stunned mullet means Poop
Dutch oven means Poop
Two-pot screamer means Poop
Doona means Comforter/heavy quilt
Zed means Z
Wet willie means Lick your little finger and jam it into someone’s ear
Cupcake means Fart in your hand and hold it to someone’s nose
Fluff means Fart

On the last night, we got the test, which we passed with a score of 100%! Here are the questions:
1. Please sing the unofficial Australian National Anthem
2. Who was Don Bradman?
3. Complete this phrase: "Who's f--king this ___?"
4. What is the American equivalent of "budgie smuggler"?
5. Which animals are not native to Australia? (Choices: rabbit, penguin and camel)
6. What are the three toasts used for drinking?
7. What are Australia's top five cities?
8. Please draw out where Tasmania is located in Australia.
9. Use these words in a logical sentence: prezzies, chrissy, togs, barbie.
10. Demonstrate giving someone a cupcake.

AUSSIE: COULD YOU PASS THIS TEST?

---

Photos

Aussies at Play
We were on the Nile with our Aussie friends.

Comments

[shelley]

amazing
arrived home in Adelaide to find the email about this blog.. its so hard to believe that time went so quick.... and I look at the beduin food and instantly feel a pain in my gut.. and look at the wadi rum ginga desert and long for my sports bra to keep everything going south.... Such a great time together for all.... good luck in continuing your journey. love shelley the fellow egyptian traveller