Australian glossary

Here it is, your very own Australian to US English resource! I will update as needed, so feel free to let me know if I should add anything.

UniMelb: University of Melbourne, where I’m going to school

uni: university

NICA: National Institute of Circus Arts, where I studied last summer

dodgy: sketchy, shady, etc.

capsicum: bell peppers

footpath: sidewalk

tea: dinner (not to be mistaken for the British tea, which is that post-lunch pre-dinner snack)

jumper: sweater

mobile: cell phone

heaps: lots

bludger: a lazy person

course: degree program

subject: a class/US course

TAFE: I have no idea what it stands for, but it’s basically like community college

mate: universal word for person. Can mean stranger, friend, lover, relative, person you’ve just had a blue (blue=argument) with, etc.

bum bag: fanny pack. If ever in Australia do NOT say fanny. EVER. It refers to female genitalia and is incredibly offensive.

football: soccer

footy: Australian rules football

tutes: tutorials (follow up classes for lectures)

college: high school, although sometimes also on-campus housing at uni

ta: thanks (ie: “Ta, mate”)

larican: (spelling is probably way off) slang for a good, down to earth guy who tells tons of really long, interesting stories.

chin wag: long chat

jelly: jell-o

conserves/jam: jelly/preserves/jam

esky: cooler (like, the sort of thing you keep drinks in)

biscuit: sort of a cookie, but not quite

paper, rock, scissors: rock, paper, scissors (the game)

trolley: shopping cart

grog: alcohol (any and all)

skull: chug (as in, to drink a large quantity very fast. It ties in with a whole nautical drinking theme since there’s apparently a drinking game called ‘boat races’, and skull is like the one-man rowing..uh..rower…)

snag: sausage

dunny: toilet

rock up: show up (ie: “Feel free to rock up whenever, I’ll be home.”)