Where are all the Kiwis?


The beginings of a new Dictionary
February 12, 2010, 6:06 pm
Filed under: Uncategorized

When you travel abroad to other English speaking countries, you cannot assume that they will speak the same form of English that you are used to speaking back home. Even within the US, there are variances; though they aren’t usually incomprehensible. In other parts of the English speaking world there are terms used that will, at least upon first glance baffle the average American English speaker. This is a list of some of the commonly used English words and phrases by English speakers from countries other than the US, mostly Australia, New Zealand and the UK.

Hiya or Heya: a variation of the typical greeting of hi or hey that includes an understood you in the ya.

Sweet as: the idea that you are proposing is fine by me.

Easy as: the thing that you are asking me to do is no problem.

Half five (or any other number from 1 to 12): this means thirty minutes past the whole number that follows it. In this case, 5:30.

Gas: propane

Petrol: gas

Lounge: living room

Getting on the piss: going out for an adult beverage or two or three or four

Brecky: breakfast

Bubbles: champagne

Flat: a place to live that you are renting. Most often, but not always, an apartment.

Tely: the Television, aka the TV

Barby: this is the bar-b-q or grill

Trousers: pants

Pants: underwear

This is by no means an exhaustive list, but it should be enough to get you started. Do you have any other words or phrases that you need translated? Just ask!

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