Australian English Vs. American English

Current AU time and date: 8:00 pm, Friday 5/3/13
Current US time and date: 6:00 am, Friday 5/3/13

As promised, here is a list of all Australian words I've come in contact with thus far. I've been corrected for my American English numerous times by numerous people. I seem to be causing a lot of confusion when I talk in American English! Kind of like how they're confusing me when they talk in Australian English. As for other differences, they drive on the left side of the road here and the left side of the car has the driver's wheel. I didn't know that when I got here and ended up getting into the driver's seat by accident! Also, the escalators are on the opposite sides at the mall, the faucets turn the opposite way for water, the doors lock the opposite way, and the water even goes down the drain/the toilet the opposite way! I'm still trying to adjust to all of that. Oh, and I was running the other day just listening to my music and admiring the lake, not paying attention to what was around me, and nearly got ran over by a bike coming the other way (towards me). Why, you ask? Because I was running on the right side of the path (his left as he came at me on his bike). I forgot that everything is on the left, I was supposed to be running on the left side! Whoops.

A pretty picture of the lake that I took while on my run...and while I was on the wrong side of the path.

Another quick story about Australia before I get to the word differences, the bugs here are crazy! Australia has a lot of poisonous bugs and snakes, thankfully I have not seen any. They aren't rare around this area (thank gosh). But there are still a lot of bugs everywhere. The other day I was getting into the car and saw a big spider sitting in it's web next to the car and freaked out. It's body was about the size of a nickel, and it had these long legs. My host mom took a look at what I was screaming over and told me, "Oh, that? That's a little one! You should see the ones in the backyard!"--Needless to say, I'm not going into the backyard anytime soon. Some of the native spiders here look like tarantulas! I'm told they won't bother me unless I bother them. I hope this is true because I will just about have a heart attack if I see one near or on me. Also, you know how we have stink bugs a lot in the fall? Well, here they don't have stink bugs. Instead, they have cockroaches!! They're huge, medium sized, and small and running around all over. Apparently they like coastal regions (I'm on the coast of Australia) and wet spots. We have a pool in the backyard and they like the pool. Yikes. I've seen a bunch of those so far and have cried every time. I don't handle creepy crawlers very well. Really, really hoping I never find one in my room here.

The pretty backyard! I don't think I'll be able to stay away for much longer. May have to suck it up and face the spiders and cockroaches...

My students told me that they had a snake in the classroom already. Those hang around all over too, but I haven't seen any. I have been trained on what the bad ones look like and what to do if I get bit by certain ones, though. Better safe than sorry, right? So, I should know how to be prepared. Scary stuff!

Despite the bugs, this country/continent is extremely beautiful! So tropical!

But okay, onto the list of words I've been hearing so far. This list will only grow as I continue my weeks here, but here's what we have so far:

McDonald’s= Maccas

Flip flops= thongs

Sneakers= joggers

Fries= chips (hot chips)

Ketchup= tomato sauce

Vacation= holiday

Sausage= snag

Bologna= devin

Tater tots= potato gems

Bathroom= toilets

Nurses office= sick bay

Z= Zed

H= hay-ch (pronounced as I spelled it)

Kindergarten= kindie

University/college= uni

Elementary school= primary school

High school= secondary school

History= hsie (pronounced hizzy)

Couch or living room= lounge

Zero= mil (like, “we lost six-mil” “we lost six-zero”)

Bathroom= toilets

Grill/grilling= barbeque or Barbie

Peppers= capsicum (only green/yellow/red/orange)

Hot peppers= chillies

Breakfast= brekkie

Dinner= tea

Snack stand/cafeteria= canteen

Football (American)= gridiron

Practice= practise

Color= colour

Favorite= favourite

Mom= mum

Strategize=strategise (no use of “z” in words like that, they swap with an “s”)

Personalize= personalise (like I said above ^^)

Crackers= biscuits

Cookies= biscuits

To call someone= to give someone a ring **

To shower= to have a shower **

To pet an animal= give it “a pat” **

To sleep= to have a sleep **words we use as verbs are used as nouns here

Candies= lollies

Towels= bibs

Red heads= ringers/blueys

Sidewalk= foot path

Try it= have a go/give it a go

Cell phone= mobile phone

Sunglasses= sunnies

Physical therapist/doctor= physio

Mosquito= mosquie

Fifth grade= year five

Math= maths (pronounced mats)

Gym= P.E./sport

Sweater= jumper

Heads up, 7 up= heads down, thumbs up

"Rock, paper, scissor, shoot!"= "scissors, paper, rock!"

Australian= ozzie

Bloke= boy

Sheila= girl

Lottery= lotto (we say 'lotto' too, but they never say lottery--just lotto. We use the two interchangeably)

Diapers= nappies

Kangaroo= kanga

And so you have it. Give it a go at using some of these words! I've started using them to spare the confusion that my American words bring. I've noticed a lot of the words are similar, just shortened, here. 

Have a great Friday! I'll most likely talk to you all after the weekend. Please remember that you can comment on here (sign your name) and I can respond! 

TGIF,

Miss Probasco