English is the dominant language in Australia. however, there are some unique English words in Australia which I think are useful to understand the native when you are travelling. Here I just give some examples.
Ace! : Excellent! Very good!
Arvo : afternoon
Aussie (pron. Ozzie) : Australian
Back of Bourke : a very long way away
Banana bender : a person from Queensland
Barbie : barbecue (noun)
Bikkie : biscuit (also "it cost big bikkies" - it was expensive)
Billy : large tin can used to boil water over a campfire for tea
Bingle : motor vehicle accident
Bities : biting insects
Bizzo : business ("mind your own bizzo")
Bloke : man, guy
Bloody : very (bloody hard yakka)
Bloody oath! : that's certainly true
BYO : unlicensed restaurant where you have to Bring Your Own grog, also similar party or barbecue
Cactus : dead, not functioning ("this bloody washing machine is cactus")
Captain Cook : look (noun) ("let's have a Captain Cook")
Chokkie : chocolate
Chook : a chicken
Chrissie : Christmas
Dag : a funny person, nerd, goof
Daks : trousers
Dead horse : Tomato sauce
Doco : documentary
Durry : cigarette
Dux : top of the class (n.); to be top of the class (v.) - "She duxed four of her subjects
Fair go : a chance
Flake : shark's flesh (sold in fish & chips shops)
G'Day : hello
Good onya : good for you, well done
Grog : liquor, beer
If you are interested in these Australian words, you can go the website
http://www.tigtag.com/community/language/29509_1_5.html to see more.
By Jian Wang (Jo)
