Is Aussie slang dying out?

After flourishing in the 20th century, slang is going through a quiet phase. Is it merely dormant – or are Australians taking themselves more seriously?

Gary Nunn   

theguardian.com, Monday 26 May 2014 14.02 AEST   

From “fair dinkum” to advancing fair, Australia is on an interesting linguistic journey. Once known on a global scale for skulling a tinny in the arvo and having no dramas because she’ll be right, Australia’s lexicon, it appears, is changing.


Tony Thorne, editor of the recently released Dictionary of Contemporary Slang (fourth edition), says Australian slang is going through a quiet phase after flourishing in the 20th century (particularly the 1960s and 70s). Slang, which by its very nature constantly renews itself, often has a limited lifespan.

“There’s a trend where most new terms are now coming from the UK and US,” Thorne suggests. Is Australian English innovating less? Or is the land of the flamin’ mongrel taking itself more seriously?

To prove his point, Thorne highlights that there are just three new Australian slang terms for this fourth edition of his slang dictionary – the fewest yet. Many existing slang terms of Australian origin are still recorded and are in frequent use (underchunders, squiff, dunny, lurk, lash, rack off, daggy, come the pork chop/raw prawn – to name a few). It’s not these terms that he’s suggesting are dying out (although some certainly are) – but the introduction into the global vernacular of fresh slang terms with an Australian etymology.

As a lexicographer, Thorne’s methodology is thorough; terms must be attested by at least two separate audited sources to warrant inclusion.

Two of the three new Australian slang additions for this edition are actually old words, but their entry into the dictionary suggests a surge in popular usage. One of them is “ort” (buttocks) and the other is “tockley” (penis). Tockley was invented in 1974 by two fourth grade students in Charlestown near Newcastle in New South Wales. The third new term for 2014 is “unit” – defined as “a bogan; Unit is a brand popularly associated with the underclass”. “Bogan” itself still features in the dictionary – it’s not new but still very common.

It sometimes seems as though Chris Lilley is solely responsible for keeping Australian slang neologism alive. His alter ego Jonah popularised the term “ranga”, meaning ginger (from orangutan), and it was used to describe everyone from Julia Gillard to yours truly. Many find it offensive; I accept it as endearing and enjoy the cheeky playfulness. Then there’s “quiche”, another neologism of a Lilley alter ego, Ja’mie. It means “hot, attractive” and trended on Twitter in Australia during the first episode of Ja’mie: Private School Girl. Perhaps it’ll make the fifth edition of the slang dictionary.

Ja’mie also popularised some irritating/controversial slang acronyms and abbreviations such as “yolo” (you only live once), “ILY” (I love you) and “suey” (suicidal.) The satire reflects the popular parlance of pupils in the Australian private school system, with their tendency towards melodrama and a creation of their own class hierarchy (“borders” are very much disparaged by Ja’mie). It hints that the Australian slang neologists of the next generation may be responsible for a resurge of Australia’s previous dominance in the slang vernacular of the English-speaking world.

For now, though, we’re in the quiet period. What can it mean? Professor John Hajek from the University of Melbourne's school of languages and linguistics says it could indicate that Australia is maturing as a nation.

“Australians are not flocking to London in the way that we used to,” he says. “And for those who do, the Bazza McKenzie stereotype is dead.”

The travelling Australian used to work in pubs and service industries where many customers heard, fell in love with and adopted playful Aussie slang terms. Now, owing to the rise of the Australian middle class, Australians abroad are increasingly working in the financial, business, law and banking sectors – offices with less customer interaction and less slang spoken.

As a result, Australianisms are filtering less into British English vernacular. Hajek also cites the American dominance of free-to-air TV, meaning that Australians themselves use the Americanism “awesome” for anything remotely adequate, negating the Australian equivalent “bonzer”. TV’s influence can replace Australianism with Australianism though: “ranga” has replaced the previous, ironic term for a redhead: blue/bluey.

Thorne has noticed a radical change whereby Australians are “the most enthusiastic users of global, free-market corporate jargon and buzzwords.” He’s noticed “pivot”, “collateral”, “cadence” infiltrating Australian English. I’ve noticed the term “utilise” increasingly used; what’s wrong with the less robotic “use”?

All are far way from “bumfuck Idaho/nowhere” or the “arse-end of Woop Woop” – traditional Aussie slanguage, which didn’t shy away from calling a spade a bloody great shovel. Hence, a tax is no longer a tax. It’s a deficit levy.

In addition to sometimes obfuscating, this maturing and corporatisation of Australian English has had a positive impact on English teaching as an Australian business: “It’s now a billion-dollar industry, which was never the case when Australian English wasn’t accepted as a pronunciation norm,” Hajek says. “There’s been a huge shift over the last 30 years.”

Australia is progressing from an abbreviated and colloquial lexicon to one reflecting the gravitas of a country viewed with more global credibility than ever before. From robust earthiness to slick professionalism: it’ll certainly be a shame if the much-loved Aussie character becomes lost among utilising a cavalcade of cadence. Mate.

• Gary Nunn writes monthly for the Guardian’s Mind your language blog. @GaryNunn1
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/may/26/is-aussie-slang-dying-out

Not even worth asking. It's not only the slang, but the general spellings of words. Have a look at how many people just on 442 choose to use "ass", "mom" and "center".

Depressing.

I use mom due to the fact the Philippino vernacular being American influenced . But in saying that I only use it with my Familia , it's mum to whoever else

This article is the definition of Darren Britt. On ya bike, c*nt.

bonzer has been replaced by ripper and belter imo.

the influx of people from different cultural backgrounds and nationalities, particularly asia, has meant the entire identity and 'culture' of being australian has altered significantly over the past 10-20 years. we dont even say soccer anymore, and are trying to play tactical football rather than give our opposition the old hip and shoulder treatment.

and thats all before we get into globalisation and the universal use of english across the planet thats been inspired by social media this past decade.

i remember reading something a while ago that predicted in 100 years 90% of the population would speak either chinese, spanish, or english as a first language. pretty much every motherfucker in europe speaks english these days.

Filipina girls :cool: :cool:

;) can't speak on it ad married to a Bosnian ;)

Might have something to do with predictive test and autocorrect being set on "US standard?"

cunts fucked, mate.

Bosnian Serb?

Negative . Bosniak

Ahh. Nice.

;)

This guy's doing his best to bring it back.

Busier than a one arm bricklayer in Baghdad.

[youtube]3K1CmX0dSXg[/youtube]

Edited by SocaWho: 27/5/2014 10:23:34 PM

Considering how older rural generations talk; God yes its dying out.

-PB

Ranga's was popular well before Chris Lily's shows. I remember calling people Rangs in primary school.

There's still a lot of slang being created it just seems to stay within groups rather than spread. i kind of change language depending on who I'm talking to.

Edited by chillbilly: 27/5/2014 11:27:56 PM

Same with yolo and ily

People say ass instead of arse because all the redtube titles say ass.

i actually feel as though its making a comeback.
but only in one demographic: young male. blokes my age seem to get a kick out of it. i dont know why really but i dont see it from anyone else in every day language, really. might be different elsewhere but it seems to me that this is the way its been for a while now.

scarn on man can you lash us a dart

Not dying out, just evolving from generation to generation. We'd have to be the only country in the world where calling someone a 'sick c##t' is a compliment.

20th century slang is almost dead, and it cannot die fast enough.

Now you're speaking like an Aussie. "Don't trust them Asians but their sheilas are a great root mate".

Edited by thupercoach: 28/5/2014 08:45:39 AM

It's just hit me - NOONE SAYS "ROOT" ANYMORE!!!

Pity, it's a great word.

I actually use the term 'Root' a lot. :lol:

One of the girls at work was talking about a bloke she had gone home with one night, but apparently she didn't "root" him. So from then on in her nickname at work has been "Root".

Its because most people cringe at the bogan slang terms.

Spoken like a true knob topper.

-PB

snuffed out by the PC crowd.....


cooee, cobber,digger bom bam, aussie,ocker , bluey, sport,

I'm no slang nazi but "ass" pisses me off no end. It's arse.

Turd, yobbo, arsewipe, hoon, hooligan, choice, ripper, shit hot, unreal, bonza having to access my grey matter to remember some of these