English is English.

Well, not really. Don’t you reckon mate?

Bushwalking in Mornington Peninsula

Not only has it been an experience learning the new surroundings here in Melbourne, it’s been a journey learning the lingo.

Day one on the job – I walk into the office bright-eyed, bushy-tailed, asking everyone, “How are you?”

No one would place their words the same as I. I quickly adapted to, “How’s it going?” Australians also say this as if it were one word. How’s’it-going?

Fair enough – that adaption is obvious and easy. But geesh, let’s walk though some other fun stuff. I’ll place the Aussie phrase/word, followed by the American.

Reckon —> Don’t you think

Hotel —-> Bar/pub

Partner —-> Serious girlfriend or boyfriend

Bushwalking —–> Hiking

Flat white, long black, macchiato —-> Coffee

Fancy —-> Like (Example of using fancy would be, “Do you fancy yoga?”)

Keen —-> Interested (On a daily basis, I hear “keen” probably 15 times)

Lovely, Gorgeous, Beautiful —–> Nice (Could you imagine your boyfriend or brother saying, “That was a beautiful coffee?” You’d be shocked here. Yet, I admit I like the affectionate words used for the simplest things)

No worries —–> Okay (I have caught onto this trend. Just as someone finishes asking a question, “No worries,” falls out of my mouth)

Footy —-> Australian Football

Chips —–> French fries

Prawns —–> shrimp (Menus always throw me for a whirl here)

Pissed ———> Drunk

Cheers ———> Thank you, Hello, Bye, it means almost anything (Again, I hear this about 50 times a day)

Carpark —–> Parking Spot/Parking garage

Footpath —–> Sidewalk

Bugger ——> darn or expression of dissatisfaction

Biscuit ——-> Cookie (You should have heard me trying to describe biscuit in terms of Bob Evan’s biscuits. Tough crowd)

Boot ——-> Trunk (of car)

Boots ——> Cleats, like soccer cleats

So if you could imagine, we are all speaking English but conversations can take many different directions.

Cheers to you from afar to you and good health!