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Slang Task 1 Task 2 Task 3 Task 4 Task 5
What is slang?

Slang refers to words of phrases that are regarded as informal language. They are most commonly used speech than writing, and the language is usually restricted to a particular group of people.

Refer to the link below for a detailed list of English slang and languages features for a range of countries

http://www.peevish.co.uk/slang/links.htm

http://www.urbandictionary.com/

Britain

Commonly used British Slang

Refer to the websites below for a detailed list of British Slang

America

Commonly used American Slang

Refer to the websites below for a detailed list of American slang.

Australia

Commonly used Australian idioms and slang
Australian slang is widely spoken across the country. It consists of words or phrases that are mainly considered as informal and most often used in speech.

Word Meaning Example
arvo afternoon What are you doing in the arvo?
Aussie an Australian Hugh Jackman’s an Aussie.
away with the pixies daydreaming Don’t bother talking to her, she’s away with the pixies.
barby barbeque Let’s put some meat on the barby!
bloke man, guy He’s a nice bloke
boozer a pub I’m going to the boozer for a few drinks.
dipstick an idiot She such a dipstick.
dunny outside toilet The dunny stinks real bad.
fair dinkum true, genuine He’s a fair dinkum Aussie.
fellas group of guy friends I’m going to the pub with the fellas.
G’day Good day! How’s it going? G’day! How are you doing?
Maccas Mcdonald’s Let’s go to Maccas tonight!
mate friend He’s a good mate of mine.
mozzie mosquito Bloody hell, there’s so many mozzies in here.
Oz Australia Visit me in Oz next year.
postie postman Has the postie come by today?
rack off! Get lost! Stop bothering me, rack off!
ripper great The parties going to be a ripper.
sheila female/woman/girlfriend Look at that Sheila over there
stoked very pleased I’m stoked about tomorrow’s trip.
vejjo vegetarian He doesn’t eat meat. He’s a veggo.
yewy U-turn in traffic Let’s make a yewy at the lights.

New Zealand

Commonly used New Zealand Slang

New Zealand slang is widely spoken across the country. It consists of words or phrases that are mainly considered as informal and most often used in speech.

Word Meaning Example
all good everything’s fine How’s the assessment going?
All good!
bonnet and boot hood and trunk of car Can you please open up the bonnet and boot?
bro used in place of ‘mate’ or ‘dude’ What’s up, bro?
buggered tired I’m so buggered, I need to sleep.
bugger off go away You’re annoying the hell out of me, bugger off!
carked it to have died His cat just carked it not long ago.
Chrissie Christmas Where are you going for Chrissie?
cuppa a hot drink, usually a cup of tea or coffee Would you like a cuppa?
cuz short for cousin Hey Cuz, how’s it going?
dairy a corner shop or mini supermarket I’m popping to the dairy for some bread and milk
dodgy bad That table looks dodgy, don’t buy it.
fizzy drink soda I’d like to try your fizzy drink.
gizza give us a… That cakes looks delicious, gizza!
Haka a traditional Maori dance The All Blacks always perform the Haka before a match .
hard case a funny or witty person What do you think of Ben? Oh, he’s a hard case.
hosing down raining heavily It’s hosing down outside.
hot chips french fries I love the hot chips from KFC better than Macca’s.
jandals flip flops or thongs Remember to wear your jandals in the shower.
kick the bucket to die He kicked the bucket two days ago.
Kiwi can refer to a New Zealander, or the country’s national bird Are you an Aussie or a Kiwi?
knackered exhausted or tired I was knackered when I got off duty.
Macca’s McDonald’s Let’s go to Macca’s for breakfast.
Maori indigenous people of New Zealand The Maori’s always have family gatherings.
piece of piss describe something that’s very easy Completing the homework was a piece of piss.
pissed to be drunk or heavily intoxicated What happened to him? He got pissed and fell down the stairs.
pressie presents I’m going out to shop for some pressies.
rellies relatives or family This Easter long weekend I’m visiting my rellies in Auckland.
scull to drink an alcoholic drink quickly without stopping Let’s see who’s the first to scull it all down.
shout to treat someone to a meal Are you free tonight? I’ll shout you dinner.
smashed to be drunk or heavily intoxicated They were smashed before the party really got going.
sparkie electrician I think we should call the sparkie to fix the wires.

Scotland

Commonly used Scottish Slang

Refer to the website below for a detailed list of British Slang

Task 1) Australian Slang
Jacki-O’s (Australian radio host) interview with Kevin Hart (American singer/actor/producer) on Australian slang.


Watch the video and complete the subsequent exercises.

Choose the word or phrase that is closest in meaning to the underlined expression.
  1. I just got a ripper barbeque but I found out it wasn’t a dinky-di.
    1. broken
    2. slashed
    3. great
    4. solid
    (Correct answers are bolded.)
  2. …but I found out it wasn’t a dinky-di
    1. false
    2. genuine
    3. functional
    4. worthless
    (Correct answers are bolded.)
  3. Fair go mate, don’t do your block.
    1. Take a chance man
    2. Don’t worry about it man
    3. Nice try man
    4. We’re all equal man
    (Correct answers are bolded.)
  4. The studio is 50km south of woop woop.
    1. downtown
    2. bad area
    3. middle of nowhere
    4. country side
    (Correct answers are bolded.)
  5. The studio is 50km south of woop woop. I’m going to need to chuck a yewy.
    1. make it there fast
    2. make a U-turn
    3. put in some petrol
    4. go to the toilet
    (Correct answers are bolded.)
  6. I tried to get a root with my Sheila but she was away with the pixies.
    1. room with my girlfriend
    2. dig with my girlfriend
    3. ride with my girlfriend
    4. sex with my girlfriend
    (Correct answers are bolded.)
  7. Shut your trap and give me the fair suck of the sav.
    1. give me a kiss
    2. let me have a say
    3. let me eat it
    4. give me something dirty
    (Correct answers are bolded.)
Task 2) Australian Slang

Song: Aussie lesson for Ellen

This song was a collaboration between Australian radio hosts Fitzy and Wippa and also Sydney brothers, Dailius and Julian Wilson. The songs purpose is to explain Australian words to Ellen Degeneres, an American TV host.


Exercise 1) Australian words
Listen to the song and match the words with their definition by dragging them into the appropriate box.

Exercise 2) Interpretation of American and Australian words
Listen to the song and match each listed word with its Australian counterpart.

Task 3) Australian expressions spoken in the general accent


Watch the video and then match the expressions with its meaning.

Task 4) New Zealand Slang vs. American Slang
Watch the video below which features Lucky and Andy quizzing each other on American and New Zealand slang.


Indicate whether the slang is American or New Zealand.
Words Meaning British Canadian English American words
jandals flip flops
chilly bin cooler or a case to put cold drinks
long drop non flushing toilet with a very long drop
heaps a lot of (something)
blacktop pavement or cement
jorts jean shorts
togs swimming trunks
cold turkey quitting something without help
condominium condo or apartment block
criss cross apple sauce sitting cross legged
(Correct answers are highlighted in yellow)
Task 5)

Hugh Laurie guesting on The Ellen Show discussing American and British Slang

(Skills: Listening Comprehension, slang)

Exercise 1

Watch the video clip and select the most suitable answer.


  1. What is the literal meaning of flossing according to Hugh Laurie?
    1. American’s opinion of British dental practice
    2. American’s opinion of American dental practice
    3. British opinion of British dental practice
    4. British opinion of American dental practice
    (Correct answers are bolded.)
  2. “That was to really show you how wrong you were… It’s kind of rubbing it in” The underlined words can be replaced by
    1. erasing a mistake
    2. making me more embarrassed
    3. hiding something bad
    4. making it clearer
    (Correct answers are bolded.)

Exercise 2

Drag the slang to its definition

Click the tabs to show contents.
Task 6 Task 7 Task 8 Task 9 Rating Form
Task 6) Slang (American vs. Australian vs. British)
Check the box to indicate whether the slang is American, Australian or British.
  Words US words AUS words UK words
1 ambo
2 Aussie
3 bogans
4 bonnet
5 boogie board
6 boot
7 brickie
8 candy
9 cart
10 cell phone
11 chips
12 cookie
13 crisps
14 diaper
15 dummy
16 elevator
17 eraser
18 esky
19 fanny
20 faucet
21 flip-flop
22 fries
23 G’day
24 garbage bin
25 gas
26 grog
27 hobo
28 hood
29 ice block
30 jocks
31 kindy
32 lift
33 lollies
34 Maccas
35 nappy
36 pacifier
37 pom
38 reckon
39 rednecks
40 rellie
41 rubber
42 rubbish
43 scally
44 servo
45 side walk
46 snag
47 soda
48 tap
49 thongs
50 togs
51 trackies
52 trash bin
53 trolley
54 trunk
55 ugg boots
56 uggies
57 ute
58 veggies
59 waggin’
60 woop woop
(Correct answers are highlighted in yellow)
Task 7) Slang with definitions (American vs. Australia vs. British)
Check the box to indicate whether the slang is American, Australian or British.
  Words Definition US AUS UK
1 ambo ambulance
2 Aussie Australian
3 bogans low-life-hooligan
4 bonnet car front
5 boogie board mini surfboard
6 boot the back compartment of a car
7 brickie brick layer
8 cart a vehicle for carrying goods
9 cell phone mobile phone
10 cookie a sweet biscuit
11 chips crisps
12 crisps chips
13 diaper baby’s nappy used to absorb urine and solid waste
14 dummy pacifier
15 eraser rubber for pencil
16 esky portable beach fridge
17 fanny pretty and smart girl, also a person’s buttocks (us), female genitals (au)
18 faucet a device that controls the flow of water
19 flip-flop two-strap rubber sandals
20 fries cooked chips
21 G’day hello
22 garbage bin trash bin
23 gas petrol
24 grog alcohol
25 hobo homeless guy
26 hood car-front engine compartment
27 ice block popsicle
28 jocks shorts
29 kindy kindergarten
30 lift elevator
31 lollies candies/sweets
32 Maccas McDonald’s
33 nappy diaper
34 pacifier smooth rubber object that babies suck
35 pom English man
36 reckon absolutely
37 rednecks poor, white, uneducated person in the countryside – Southern US
38 rellie relatives
39 rubber condom
40 scally rascal/ hooligan
41 servo gas station
42 side walk pavement
43 snag sausage
44 soda soft drinks
45 tap faucet
46 thongs G-string (skimpy underwear)
47 togs swim suit
48 trackies tracksuit
49 trash bin rubbish bin
50 trolley cart
51 trunk a covered space at the back of a car for storing things
52 uggies sheepskin/ UGG boots
53 ute truck
54 veggies vegetables
55 waggin’ skipping school
56 woop woop in the middle of nowhere

(Correct answers are highlighted in yellow)

Click the tabs to see the content.
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