Do you know this Australian slang? Photo / Getty Images
Do you know this Australian slang? Photo / Getty Images
OPINION:
They might have stolen the pavlova and hokey pokey from us, but if there's one thing Australians don't seem to want a bar of, it's our Kiwi lingo.
Known as our family across the ditch, the ones down under, our natural rivals, however, you like to refer to our transtasman neighbours, the fact is, to the rest of the world we appear pretty similar - in much the same way Canada and America do. Some people literally think we are one country, but, in reality, we are very, VERY different.
And if our humorous rivalry doesn't prove it, our lingos sure will.
If you've ever made the jump across the ditch into the land of kangaroos, you'll know a few things become clear very quickly. One: Aussies are really good-looking - curse your criminal genetics - and two, while we sound very similar to the untrained, foreign ear and often find we've had similar upbringings too, one thing that sets us apart is our unique lingos.
From sheila to oi and all the Aussie, Aussie, Aussies in between, here is the A-Z guide to Australian lingo:
Aluminium
Don't forget your aluminium. Photo / Getty Images
Over here in New Zealand we call the kitchen staple "tin foil" but in Aussie they call it "aluminium". Turns out we could both be wrong as the almighty wrapping paper is technically called "aluminium foil".
Billy
A billy is a jug or kettle. Photo / Getty Images
Sometimes Aussie lingo is very easy to pick (like the above). It's more obvious than spotting Bondi beach. Other times, it has you scratching your head. This is one of those times: a billy is known as a jug or a kettle in the land of the long white cloud.
Speedos are also known as budgie smugglers. Photo / Getty Images
Surprisingly, this is not a term for a person who smuggles budgies here, there and everywhere. It's actually a term for men's speedos. This style of swimwear is very common in Aussie but here in New Zealand our men aren't as comfortable wearing a pair of teeny tinies that show everyone at the beach your "budgie".
Coldie
A coldie is a cold drink... usually a beer. Photo / Getty Images
When you visit Australia, you'll hear the phrase "come over for a coldie, mate" more than you ever have before. But never fear, you're not heading over to sit in the freezer or a chilly pool, it's another term for a cold drink – usually a beer.
Esky
Never forget your esky. Photo / Getty Images
We call it a chilly bin here in Aotearoa but our pals across the ditch call it an esky. I wish I could tell you why but when I asked the honourary Aussie in the office they told me, "I don't know, it's just called that", so there you have it.
Galah
If you sat in the sun all day without sunscreen, you might be a galah. Photo / Getty Images
Only the Aussies know why, but a galah is an idiot, a silly duffer. Ultimately, a galah is a name you want to avoid because it means you've done something you probably shouldn't have - like sitting in the sun all day without wearing sunscreen.
Goon
A goon is the bag of wine inside this box. Photo / Countdown
An Aussie once told me a goon is the best invention ever produced by mankind. This confused me because, to me, a goon is a galah (an idiot). But to an Aussie, a goon is the bag that super-cheap cask wine comes in.
Oi
Aussie Aussie Aussie, Oi Oi Oi. Photo / Getty Images
You know there is a test match on between the All Blacks and the Wallabies when you hear the chant: "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie! Oi, oi, oi!" yet despite the word being a part of a popular Aussie sporting chant, it also doubles as a way to catch someone's attention.
No one really knows which country started saying it first, but it's safe to say it has joined the hokey pokey ice cream and pavlova ownership war.
Servo
A servo is a petrol station. Photo / Getty Images
With so many Aussies visiting New Zealand again, the term servo seems to have started popping up around the country. It may not be a mystery to you but if it is, let me fill your mind with knowledge the same way you fill your car with petrol: a servo is a petrol station.
Sheila
A sheila is a woman. Photo / Getty Images
Some might take offence to the word but when it comes to a sheila, a bloke is referring to a woman. There is no discrimination: even Margot Robbie can be reffered to as a sheila.
Slab
A slab of beer is a box of canned beers. Photo / Countdown
"Grab a slab of beer, mate". I'm sure we have slabs here but they're definitely more common in Aussie. Here in New Zealand us Kiwis grab a 24 pack or a crate of beer.
A snag is a sausage … usually in a slice of white bread with onions and T-sauce. It's a truly fantastic creation that just screams summertime and, in a weird turn of events, the best ones come from Bunnings.
Tinny
A tinny can be a can of beer or a small boat. Photo / Getty Images
My mind instantly goes to a cigarette tin - I think seeing the word unlocked a childhood memory of my grandad rolling tobacco out of a small square tin.
Despite what tinny led me to believe, I'm woman enough to admit when I'm wrong and it's actually a can of beer or, sometimes, if you want to make things super confusing, a small boat.
Thongs
Thongs. Photo / Getty Images
Do not be alarmed if your newfound Australian friend asks you to wear thongs to the beach. They aren't asking you to show off your bum but rather, your feet. Known in New Zealand as jandals, the countries have long feuded about the proper name for this footwear.
