Recent Posts

51

English & Linguistics / Re: English-to-English translation

« Last post by Porter on September 24, 2024, 05:44:48 AM »

A British one that I would have never understood without looking it up from a recent TV show:

connie = conscious objector (during wartime)

dunny = toilet, especially porta-potty-type

That one I know from watching Bluey, which is an almost daily occurrence at my house

52

English & Linguistics / Re: English-to-English translation

« Last post by rivka on September 23, 2024, 05:14:05 PM »

I also knew arvo, root, and combi, but the rest were new to me.

I think I had heard arvo before. And definitely chook. I don't think I knew any of the others.


A few more:

dunny = toilet, especially porta-potty-type
spliff = joint (in the pot sense)
rack off = emphatic "go away!"
grizzling = that noise a baby makes that's not quite crying, similar to whimpering or kvetching

53

English & Linguistics / Re: New column-type thingy

« Last post by rivka on September 23, 2024, 05:07:50 PM »

Even in fictional dialogue?

54

English & Linguistics / Re: New column-type thingy

« Last post by Tante Shvester on September 23, 2024, 01:02:50 PM »

Jeepers.  But I really like semicolons.

55

English & Linguistics / Re: New column-type thingy

« Last post by Jonathon on September 23, 2024, 12:27:38 PM »

The New Chicago’s Here! The New Chicago’s Here!

56

English & Linguistics / Re: English-to-English translation

« Last post by Jonathon on September 21, 2024, 10:14:37 AM »

I also knew arvo, root, and combi, but the rest were new to me.

57

English & Linguistics / Re: English-to-English translation

« Last post by rivka on September 20, 2024, 03:18:55 PM »

"You've got tickets on yourself" is pretty great.

Yeah, and that one I was pretty sure of the meaning by context, but looked it up to confirm.

Some of the others I was completely  until I looked them up.

58

English & Linguistics / Re: English-to-English translation

« Last post by Jonathon on September 20, 2024, 07:57:56 AM »

I thought a ute was just a truck based on a passenger car chassis, like an El Camino, but Wikipedia says the term expanded at some point.

"You've got tickets on yourself" is pretty great.

59

English & Linguistics / Re: English-to-English translation

« Last post by rivka on September 20, 2024, 12:14:06 AM »

I've been watching an Australian show (to follow up all the UK ones I was watching before that). Lots of odd (to my ears, at least) slang and word usage, including:

doona = duvet
arvo = afternoon
chook = chicken (I knew this one already, but it's still weird)
off his/her face = very drunk or high
root (noun or verb) = mildly rude word for sex
rooted = broken
ute = truck or SUV
nursing babies = working as a nurse with babies
Combi/Kombi = VW van (or similar) meant for transporting both people and lots of stuff
you've got tickets on yourself = seriously conceited

60

English & Linguistics / Re: Funny English and Linguistics stuff...

« Last post by Tante Shvester on September 19, 2024, 05:11:39 PM »

Walkie-talkie is a ridiculous name for a hand-held two-way radio.  Did they give the job of naming it to toddlers?