Question for Aussies

[irelandwhispers]

I have no idea where to post this!

I was wondering how Australians on here felt about the use of "" on these forums. I've heard that it was an obscene gesture in Australia, and I know we have a lot of Australians posting on the boards. I just wanted to know how the Aussies deal with it.

 

[Idiosyncrasy]

that's an interesting question. i have never heard of that. (i am not from australia though)

 

[Giant Lemon]

Wow- I've never heard that. So does that mean that is like posting the finger?

 

[bayernfc]

well I'm not from Australia but....my persian friend told me is exactly like giving the finger for her back home as well!

 

[Angela Harlem]

A thumbs up? The bird is obscene, but not a thumbs up! Although we don't really use the gesture that much, flipping the bird is a lot more common

 

[yertle-the-turtle]

Do Australians have regional accents? For instance, does someone from NSW speak differently from someone from Melbourne, just like a Bostonian and a Texan have different accents?

 

[cass]

she'll be apples mate

it is not the least bit offensive, if it is held perfectly still. It signifies everything is A OK, a job well done, thanks a lot. It is a bit like the OK sign, the circled thumb and index finger.
When I was a little girl, ( myave things changed) if you held your thumb up like that and jerked it upwards rapidly....that was rude,ooowahhhh I'm gonna tell my ma on you( those were the days). But that was a long time ago, it is not considered the least bit offensive now.
regional accents/dialects? Australia is a very large continent with great big empty bits, a sparse population . Communities develop in isolation(less so these days) and with that comes localised language. The word "pearler" for example,I used in another thread is not something I grew up with. I picked it up a couple of years ago from a new friend I made. She said it, I liked it, I adopted it.As far as accents, I think there are. My friends from Adelaide accent imho.

One elderly man once said to me, you know the further north you travel on the east coast of Australia, the more the English language deteriorates. I grew up and live in about the middle...I speak cassperanto

 

[PopTart Pamela]

I think what Cass has said is right, there are many slang words that are particular to certain areas, although when you are growing up you think everyone speaks the way you do. As far as accents go I really think there is little difference overall, and Im pretty well travelled - although country people, esp in Noth Queenland have a broader accent

Pamela

 

[cass]

another question for the Aussies.....

Who wants to go to Splendour On The Grass?
19th-20th July, Byron.
I just heard Adam Spencer talking about the confirmed line-up...so far! It is brilliant .I am going, come hell or high water....I hope so anyway. It sounds unreal.!WOW!
I thought I would post this here as most Aussie's are likely to drop in. I think it desreves a topic in Bang and Clatter...I'm rather chuffed

 

[irelandwhispers]

Thanks for the info, guys! Sorry...I kind of lost this thread, but I found it again.

 

[Angela Harlem]

As soon as I saw Cass's reply, I remembered that if you do kind of tilt your fist and jerk your extended thumb in an outward direction it can kinda mean '**** off'.

I suck at slang. Its better to just make up your own words and insults.

 

[The_Sweetest_Thing]

ah. You aussies have such weird slang anyway. No one in the world understands it...

 

[Salome]

I suck at slang. Its better to just make up your own words and insults.

is "suck" aussie slang for "rule"?

and
yesh

 

[zonelistener]

yesh

 

[Angela Harlem]

slomey, I just rule at everything, including ruling when it comes to sucking at things. I fail very badly at times.

Sweetest, we dont really have weird words! The ones the rest of the world hears about are ones we dont really use lol

 

[Calluna]

Maybe you don't have that many weird words but you do tend to abbreviate existing ones.

 

[JimmyChicken]

I have no idea where to post this!

I was wondering how Australians on here felt about the use of "" on these forums. I've heard that it was an obscene gesture in Australia, and I know we have a lot of Australians posting on the boards. I just wanted to know how the Aussies deal with it.

Of all the misconceptions of what Australia is really like, this one is the most hilarious yet!

"" is a positive gesture as far as I'm aware.

Did I abbreviate any words? Can anyone tell I've lived in Australia all my life? Isn't it blatantly obvious?

Does "Isn't" count as an abbreviated word?

 

[irelandwhispers]

Re: Re: Question for Aussies

Of all the misconceptions of what Australia is really like, this one is the most hilarious yet!

"" is a positive gesture as far as I'm aware.

Didn't you read through the thread completely? I thought it was established that the thumbs up can be a rude gesture if it's used a certain way.

*edit: had to fix the quote script

 

[JimmyChicken]

Re: Re: Re: Question for Aussies

Didn't you read through the thread completely? I thought it was established that the thumbs up can be a rude gesture if it's used a certain way.

*edit: had to fix the quote script

Indeedy I did. I was only replying to the topic thread. Since I'm not Persian or from anywhere else I wouldn't have a clue if it was a rude gesture. Just merely reaffirming that it wasn't a rude gesture in Australia.

BUT... Maybe if I was to stick my thumb up near someone's butt, and then motion as if I was going to ram it up their butt, that might somehow be interpreated as "up yours". But I don't think it would be as practical as the good old finger.

Its another myth like the "shrimp on the barbie". I've never had BBQ shrimp before. And to my knowledge shrimps are called prawns in Australia anyway, except maybe in those expensive restaurants I never go to.

 

[ishkash]

This thread has just solved a year old mystery. Crossing streets would be so much better for me from now on.

 

[Salome]

And to my knowledge shrimps are called prawns in Australia anyway, except maybe in those expensive restaurants I never go to.

yesh!