Ep.3: Australia Day!

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Aaaah, that good old Aussie tune, The Road to Gundagai, played by clarinetist Alex Hutchinson.

G'day and Happy Australia Day!

Yeah, that's right... today is the 26th of January, 2010. We celebrate Australia on this day every year.

So, what about Australia? What is it we celebrate? Well, for some it isn't a celebration at all. In fact, some Australians call it "Invasion Day" - especially the Aboriginal people.

You see, in January 1788 the "First Fleet" arrived from Britain carrying over 1,400 passengers and crew who would be the first white inhabitants on this beautiful island continent.

But this was no luxury cruise, these passengers were mostly convicts. It was not only the first white settlement, but the first penal colony.

There are many songs about that day, and many songs about poor Englishmen and Irishmen who were convicted of a crime and were "Bound for Botany Bay".

You know, even today a lot of English call Australians "convicts", and regard Australia as a barren, desert island.

Well that's a load of hogswash. What would those poms know anyway? We flog 'em at whatever sport they invent or try to dominate! Cricket, rugby league, rugby union, swimming, tennis...

Righto, I better back off a bit, I think I'm gettin' a little patriotic.

Anyway, what better way to celebrate Australia Day than to honour the Australian Anthem?

We have a pretty snazzy anthem, says me. Some people want to change the anthem to Waltzing Matilda, which I think is a totally stupid idea, because Waltzing Matilda says nothing about our country. It doesn't even say the word "Australia" in it. It's just an Aussie folk song, which is good in itself, but not for an anthem.

So here is our National Anthem. Please follow along to Advance Australia Fair!

Australians all let us rejoice
For we are young and free
We've golden soil and wealth for toil,
Our home is girt by sea:
Our land abounds in nature's gifts
Of beauty rich and rare,
In history's page let every stage
Advance Australia fair,
In joyful strains then let us sing
Advance Australia fair.

That was beautiful...

Well it's been great having a good old chinwag with you, but I better hit the sack, cos tomorrow it's back to work! (Unless I chuck a sickie).

Enjoy your Australia Day! Seeya later when ya legs are straighter!

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Words you might wanna know:

Aboriginal, Aborigine: Original inhabitants of a country. Native.
Convict: Convicted criminal, prisoner.
Hogwash: False talk, lies, silly rumours.
Flog 'em: To beat them (in sport, games etc), conquer them.
Snazzy: Very impressive, nice.
Chinwag: Chat, friendly talk.
Hit the sack: Go to bed.
Chuck a sickie: Have a day off work due to sickness (but usually when you are not truely sick)

Ep.2: Short Words

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G'day! Welcome back 

Are you a subscriber to my podcast? Did you realise there is a full transcript for you to read along with? Just visit my blog at aus-eng.blogspot.com

I'd really like to read your comments too, so please leave them on the blog.

Before we get started I should explain the title of this podcast. Aussie English from the sticks! I guess you already know what Aussie English is - that's what I'm speaking now. What does From the Sticks mean? Well in Aussie English, "the sticks" is a term referring to a remote or rural part of Australia. If I say "I live out in the sticks", it means I live in the country side.

So, next question. What do you call those nasty little insects that suck your blood in the summer time? Mosquitos!

In Australia, we like to shorten words and make them, you know, kind of cute. So you'll hear us call these insects Mozzies. E.g. "Far out! There's flippin mozzies everywhere!"

You see, Australians become Aussies
Mosquitos become Mozzies
Men in motorcycle gangs riding Harley Davidsons are called Bikies
Michael becomes Mikey

So let's say Michael joined an Australian motorcycle gang called the Mosquitos. You know what that would mean?

It means: Aussie Mozzie Bikie Mikey rides a Harley

Don't worry, you probably won't hear anything like that too often.

But we certainly like to shorten words.

Cockroach becomes cocky
A drug user becomes a druggie or druggo
Football becomes footy
My son Clayton gets called Claydie
And we call our daughter Amalia, Marlie.

So expect to hear words modified in this way - especially names.

Do you have any questions? Or want to hear something discussed in an Aussie accent? Post your requests on the blog. Thanks.

Before I nick off, let me tell you a quick joke - cos everyone knows Aussies are funny buggers.

A chicken goes to a public library and says "book, book, book". The librarian gives the chicken three books which the chicken then takes to a pond and passes them to a frog. The frog takes one look at the books, throwing each one away as he croaks "readit, readit, readit!"

Thanks for listening! Come back again next time... cya later.

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Words you might wanna know:
The Sticks: in a rural, remote area.
Mozzies: Mosquitos
Far Out!: exclamation of disbelief, like "WOW" or "Oh my goodness"
Bikies: Motorcycle gang members
Mikey: Short and friendly for Michael
Cocky: Cockroach
Druggie/Druggo: A drug user
Footy: Football (Rugby League, Rugby Union or Australian Football League - NOT soccer)
Nick off: To get lost, go away.

Ep.1 Studio in session!

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G'day stranger!

Are you looking for somewhere to casually learn Aussie-style English? Or are you perhaps wanting to prepare yourself for a visit down under?

Well, if you thought Aussies spoke just like the Poms or Yanks, you've got a lot to learn! Luckily you will be able to begin learning it right here. I hope that's why you came.

As well as just training your ear to catch the Australian accent, we'll have some fun and learn some real Aussie slang and colloquialisms too.

For now, I'll be uploading the occasional podcast with a written transcript and word list. It will depend on how popular the podcast is, as to how regular they become.

So, are you ready? Bonza! Let's get crackin',

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Words you might wanna know:
G'day: Hello. (The friendly Australian greeting EVERYONE should know)
Pom: British person (some British find it offensive, but it's not really a nasty name)
Yank: American person
Bonza: Great! Excellent! (an exclamation of excitement)
Get Crackin': To hurry up and get started. (crack the whip)
Wanna: Want to