Australian English is the name given to the dialect of English spoken in Australia.
Australia's language has been shaped by three major historical and environmental influences: Australian Aboriginal languages, early European exploration, and settlement, and the large number of immigrants who have settled there since 1788.
The primary influence on Australian writing was Indigenous Australian languages which were largely unwritten until after the first European contact.
Thus resulting in a creole that combines mostly Anglo-Celtic vocabulary with these original Australasian words.
Aside from Macquarie Dictionary's officially endorsed standard version of the language, there are several main dialects throughout Australia that are characterized by pronounced differences in an accent as well as grammar and vocabulary.
The Australian English dialects are each different in terms of:
As the old saying goes, when in Rome, do as the Romans do. This can be applied when you travel to a different country such as Australia for example, where Australians speak with their distinctive accent and use certain slang words that people outside of Australia might not understand.
To avoid staying clueless about what is being said or misunderstood by others when traveling to foreign countries, it would be best if you learn how to speak like an Australian beforehand so you can communicate effectively and prevent awkward misunderstandings from occurring.
There are many common and useful words and phrases used in Australia that maybe aren't included in your everyday conversations or studies yet could come in very handy.
Here are some examples of essential Australian English that you should know before traveling to Australia or interacting with Australians:
Aussie Slang terms used in Australia are usually created by taking either an English word and adding a twist, shortening it, replacing certain letters, or creating rhyming words amongst other things.
Some examples of this would be the slang term "bogan" which is basically an Australian or New Zealand subculture typically associated with being anti-"mainstream". They're known for their love of tatts, utes (pickup trucks), hoon driving (behaving recklessly), drinking VB (a type of beer), and speaking Strine. Another would be "footy", which is simply a word used to describe Australian rules football to replace the full name.
Though not all Australians speak Strine, the use of it can be very common especially amongst those under 30 years old. The best way to understand Strine is by listening carefully to different people around you who might be speaking it or watching videos that are about Australia or have Australians in them.
You could also do your research on the internet if you're interested to know more about Strine and other variations of English spoken in Australia.
