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Monday, 8 January 2024

A closer to definitive list of Oz colloquialisms

This carries on from an earlier post

Just a note to file, added February 8, because I have not posted anything here: I am now up over 170,00 words, and maybe 800 words and phrases in 2000+ entries. I will say more when I finish.

I'm getting there. If you want to see if your favourite rates, here's the list, prepared just after I added clothes props (pre-1840) and milko (WA, early 1900s).

Suggestions are welcome, and I note that pooch, probably came from the US (but who knew?), and I think the original Brown's cows were probably Irish... 

[Edit 13 January: there are now more than 600 expressions and 1500 samples of text, and I have edited the list to show earliest-known-date-right-now. New list is below.]

aborigine  (1798);  according to Cocker  (1826);  aerial ping pong  (1945);  aggro  (1970);  aggy  (1899);  alligator  (1788);  ambo  (1928);  ankle-biter  (1900);  another pair of sleeves  (1892);  ant bed  (1893);  ants  (1770);  Anzac  (1915);  Anzac biscuits  (1916);  ANZAC Day  (1915);  apples (she’s)  (1941);  Arthur or Martha  (1943);  Arvo  (1926);  Aussie  (1915);  Aussie Rules  (1907);  Aussie salute  (1921);  Australasia  (1793);  Australia  (1793);  Australian Rules  (1885);  babbler  (1910);  back-blocks  (1862);  back of beyond  (1830);  back of Bourke  (1871);  bagman  (1905);  Bagman’s Gazette  (1900);  bail up  (1844.);  Bananaland  (1881);  bandicoot  (1799);  banker, running a  (1866);  barbie  (1973);  bark hut  (1815);  barney  (1855);  barracker  (1881);  barrack  (1883);  bastard  (1945);  bathers  (1911);  bathing  (1836);  bathing dress  (1830);  Bathurst burr  (1850);  beak  (1838);  beano  (1908);  bean (without a)  (1900);  beauty bottler  (1957);  bee’s knees  (1874);  Belyando spew  (c. 1864);  berley  (1871);  bicycle  (1851);  big note  (1938);  big smoke  (1854);  big wigs  (1825);  bike  (1898);  bikkies  (1890);  bikkies (big)  (1977);  bilby  (1886);  billabong  (1838);  billy  (1848);  billycart  (1898);  bindi-eye  (1907);  bingey  (1882);  bint  (1945);  bitser  (1926);  blackbirding  (1872);  blackfellows  (1840);  blackleg  (1865);  Black Maria  (1868);  black stump  (1865);  black tracker  (1882);  Blind Freddy  (1907);  bloke  (1848);  bloody  (1853);  blow  (1929);  blowfly  (1829);  blowie  (1911);  Blucher boots  (1821);  bludger  (1897);  bluegum  (1803);  blue (in the sense of lose money)  (1898);  Blue Mountain parrot  (1823);  Blue Mountains  (1793);  blue, start a  (1938);  bluetongue  (1849);  Bluey  (1845);  bluey  (1880);  bob (shilling)  (1838);  bodgie  (1950);  Bogan  (1987);  bogey  (1865);  bog roll  (1988);  Bondi tram, like a  (1943);  bonzer  (1851);  boodle  (1898);  Boofhead  (1924);  boomerang  (1824);  borak  (1893);  boshter  (1903);  bosker  (1912);  boss cockie  (1875);  Boss-of-the-Board  (1900);  Botany Bay  (1786);  boundary rider  (1860);  bowyangs  (1889);  brass razoo  (1927);  breakaway  (1893);  brekky  (1900);  brickfielder  (1830);  Brown’s cows  (1841);  brum (penny)  (1861);  brumby  (1871);  Buckley’s chance  (1887);  budgerigar  (1845);  buggy  (1806);  bullock driver  (1813);  bunya bunya  (1841);  bunyip  (1845);  bunyip aristocracy  (1853);  burning o  (1805);  burrawang  (1831);  bush  (1801);  bush carpenter  (1902);  bushed  (1847);  bushfire  (1831);  bush inn  (c. 1850);  bushman  (1832);  bushranger  (1805);  bush store  (1847);  bush telegraph  (1863);  bushwoman  (1869);  Cabbage Garden  (1842);  cabbage tree hat  (1799);  cabbage tree mob  (1841);  canary  (1853);  cark  (1983);  cart  (c. 1854);  caser  (1892);  Catherine Hayes  (1859);  cedar  (1803);  celestials  (1856);  chap  (1898);  chats  (1917);  chocolate crackles  (1937);  chook  (1889);  Chow  (1855);  Christmas beetle  (1893);  chuck  (1838);  churchyarder  (1900);  chyack  (1873);  Cigar  (1859);  Circular Quay  (1836);  clean skins  (1868);  clear out  (1831);  clobber  (1884);  clothes props  (1846);  coach travel  (1821);  cobber  (1890);  cobbler  (1872);  cobbler’s pegs  (1864);  cockatoo  (c. 1854);  cockatoo fence  (1842);  cock-eye bob  (1884);  cockies  (1878);  coffee  (1902);  coffee tent  (1852);  concertina  (1892);  cooee  (1826);  Coogee  (1831);  coolamon  (1854);  coot  (1915);  Cornstalk  (1827);  cossies  (1903);  cove  (1853);  cow cocky  (1907);  crack hardy  (1897);  creek  (1790);  cricket  (1804);  crinoline  (1839);  cronk  (1900);  crook  (1896);  cropper, come a  (1859);  cry crack  (1871);  cultural cringe  (1951);  currency  (1822);  cut out  (1867);  damper  (1825);  dead flat  (1900);  dead marine  (1856);  deaf adder  (1832);  deaner (shilling)  (1892);  death adder  (1845);  didgeridoo  (1918);  didn’t come down in the last shower  (1893);  digger  (1817);  digging  (1849);  diggings  (1848);  dilly bag 1829);  dingbat  (1887);  dingo  (1788);  dinkum  (1917);  dinky di  (1914);  disperse  (1805);  Dixie  (1918);  do a Melba  (1950);  dob in  (1953);  dog’s breakfast  (1903);  doing the Block  (1854);  dollop  (1833);  Dolly’s wax  (1909);  donah  (1889);  done like a dinner  (1838);  done me dash  (1915);  donkey-supper hat  (c. 1897);  doover  (1942);  dowak  (1848);  down the gurgler  (1979);  down under  (1907);  drafting  (1836);  dray  (1820);  drongo  (1837);  drop bear 1967);  drover’s dog  (1868);  dud  (1918);  duds  (1900);  duffer  (1853);  duffing  (1856);  dummy  (1896);  dunny  (1942);  earbash 1944);  ecology  (1905);  elastic-side boots  (1896);  elderly  (1900);  emu  (1788);  emu eggs  (1886);  exclusionists  (1826);  fair dinkum  (1880);  fair go  (1863);  fairy bread  (1915);  fat lamp  (1827);  fell off perch  (1857);  fence  (1788);  first fleet  (1817);  flat chat  (1986);  flat out like a lizard drinking  (1930);  fleas  (1878);  flies  (1849);  floater (pie)  (1923);  flying fox  (1793);  fly veil  (1849);  football  (1829);  footpath  (1803);  forester  (1861);  fossick  (1852);  freebie  (1991);  Fremantle doctor  (1873);  full as a goog:);  funnelweb  (1927);  Furphy  (1915);  gaff  (1901);  galah  (1861);  gander  (1939);  gas lamps  (1855);  g’day  (1848);  gee-gee  (1898);  gibber  (1853);  gilgai  (1868);  gin  (1831);  Gippsland earth-worm  (1889);  give it a burl  (1911);  glory box  (1904);  goanna  (1832);  goat (act the)  (1881);  gold mine  (1788);  gone bung  (1868);  good oil  (1914);  good-on-ya  (1982);  gooley  (1922);  goonack  (1873);  grass-tree  (1831);  green bough  (1896);  greenhide  (1836);  gremlins  (1942);  gully-raking  (c. 1837);  gum-sucker  (1849);  gunya  (1798);  gutser  (1917);  had it  (1945);  half a mo  (1898);  hanging up  (1853);  happy as Larry  (1857);  hard  (1896);  hard case  (1900);  hard up  (1827);  hatter  (1858);  have a bash  (1943);  having a lend of  (1907);  hawker  (1818);  hobble  (c. 1830);  homestead  (1817);  hoon  (1983);  Hooroo);  hot-cross bun maker  (1903);  humpy  (1838);  hundreds and thousands  (1899);  hunk  (1883);  Hyde Park Barracks  (1829);  ice block  (1934);  idiot box  (1959);  inexpressibles  (1824);  invasion  (c. 1798);  ironbark  (1803);  iron gang  (1826);  jackeroo  (1845);  Jacky Howe  (1900);  jake  (1918);  jake  (1925);  jilgie  (1873);  Jimmies  (1850);  jirrand  (1827);  joey  (1841);  John Chinaman  (1839);  Johnny cake  (1827);  Johns  (1915);  jumbuck  (1841);  jumper  (c. 1853);  kangaroo  (1770);  kangaroo dog  (1806);  kangaroo feathers  (1900);  kangaroo feathers  (1901);  kangaroos in the top paddock  (1987);  kangaroo tail soup  (1837);  kibosh  (1835);  kick the bucket  (1832);  koala  (1804);  Kokoda track  (1908);  Kokoda trail  (1942);  kookaburra  (1829);  kooliman  (see coolamon);  kylie  (1842);  lag, old  (1831);  lagging  (c. 1830);  lamb down  (1838);  Lamington  (1901);  larrikin  (1870);  lawn tennis  (1874);  leg in  (1871);  leg pulling  (1890);  lime burners  (1804);  lingo  (1825);  little ripper  (1912);  lollies  (1846);  lubra  (1838);  lumper  (1843);  lurk  (1904);  lyrebird  (1800);  mad as a cut snake  (1946);  make a crust  (1860);  making wages  (1851);  mallee  (1882);  mallee bull  (1862);  marmalade  (1855);  matches  (1841);  meet the eye  (1827);  mia-mia  (1847);  milko  (1904);  missed the bus  (1893);  mob (of animals)  (1834);  moleskin  (1823);  moniker  (1888);  moonlight flit  (1834);  mosquitoes  (1828);  motza  (1923);  mozzies  (1922);  mucker  (1899);  muck up  (1896);  mug lair  (1924);  mulga  (1858);  mulligrubs  (1832);  mullock  (1889);  myall  (1829);  nark  (1885);  neck, to get it in the  (1893);  Never Never  (1861);  new chum  (1827);  New year’s day  (1789);  nines, dressed up to the  (1835);  Norfolk Island pine  (1829);  no worries  (1970);  nulla nulla  (1808);  numbat  (1854);  Ocker  (1975);  off her kadoova  (1883);  old hand  (1827);  omnibus  (1851);  on his hunkers  (1851);  on the nose  (1942);  on the wallaby  (1858);  onion, to be off  (1898);  ophthalmia  (1819);  outback  (1868);  outback  (1868);  );  overlanders  (1840);  overlanders  (1841);  packer  (1873);  paddock  (1807);  patta  (1803);  Pavlova  (1934);  Peach Melba  (1912);  peppered  (1851);  perish, doing a  (1881);  piano 1788);  Pivot City  (1855);  plant  (1835);  platypus  (1824);  plonk  (1916);  poddy  (1864);  poison bait  (1847);  poisoner  (1900);  poke mullock  (1912);  poley  (1852);  Pommy 1912);  pooch  (1927);  possie  (1917);  possum  (c. 1839);  possum skin cloak  (c. 1840);  post  (1827);  prickly pear  (1827);  privy  (1813);  prospecting  (1849);  prospector  (1849);  punt  (1834);  Push, the  (1899);  put the acid on  (1898);  quid  (1866);  rabbit-proof fence  (1886);  radium  (1900);  Rafferty’s rules  (1906);  ratbag  (1925);  rat with a gold tooth  (1953);  rawhide  (1849);  real corker  (1886);  redback  (1883);  redgum  (1816);  Reffo  (1945);  remittance  (1864);  ribuck  (1891);  riding attire  (1900);  right as rain  (1874);  righto  (1902);  ring-barking  (c. 1854);  ringer  (1870);  road  (1788);  rort  (1901);  rouseabout  (1907);  rough spin  (1868);  run  (1834);  ruthless and toothless  (1945);  salted  (1854);  sandgroper  (1846);  sandy blight  (c. 1865);  sawney  (1826);  Sawney  (1827);  scab  (1842);  scalper  (1898);  sea-breeze  (1830);  selector  (1862);  Send it down, Hughie  (1910);  sent out  (1882);  servo  (1988);  settler  (1803);  shag on a rock, a  (1843);  shanty  (1830);  sheila  (1923);  sheoak  (1803);  shicer  (1853);  shicker  (1883);  shindy  (1828);  shingle, lost or loose  (1846);  shirty  (1865);  shivoo  (1881);  shoot through  (1944);  shout  (c. 1852);  shout  (1858);  sickie  (1952);  silly coot  (1900);  silver-tails  (1879);  Simon Pure  (1832);  skedaddle  (1874);  skite  (1887);  sky-pilot  (1900);  slanguage  (1896);  sling off  (1891);  sling your hook  (1884);  slip rails  (c. 1845);  slope  (1852);  sly grog  (1825);  smoke-oh  (1893);  smoodger  (1907);  snaggers  (1945);  Snowy Mountains  (1825);  Snowy River  (1834);  sool  (1901);  sort  (1945);  southerly buster  (1854);  sparrow’s fart  (1942);  Speewah  (1892);  spieler  (1881);  spifflicated  (1848);  split  (c. 1833);  spruik  (1905);  squatter  (1825);  squiz  (1905);  station  (c. 1860);  sticky beak  (1917);  stir the possum  (1894);  stock horse  (1837);  stock station  (1823);  stockwhip  (c. 1858);  stone the crows);  stony  (1899);  stony broke  (1883);  storekeeper  (1899);  stork (as a bringer of babies)  (1884);  stoush  (1887);  strict Q.T.  (1877);  strides  (1913);  stringybark  (1803);  Struth  (1895);  stunned mullet  (1902);  sulky  (1810);  sundowner  (1906);  swag  (1851);  swag, humping the  (1851);  swagman  (1861);  swy  (1945);  Sydney Harbour  (1822);  Sydney or the bush  (1849);  Sydneysider  (1852);  taipan (snake)  (1932);  tall poppy  (1864);  tart  (1898);  tea  (1834);  telephone  (1886);  The Ashes  (1882);  the pip  (1872);  the raw prawn  (1942);  thingummybob  (1945);  thumb buster  (1873);  tickets on self  (1901);  tommy  (1850);  track  (1817);  traps  (c. 1831);  tray (threepence)  (1912);  triantelope  (c. 1845);  troppo  (1942);  true blue  (1826);  tucker  (1852);  tucker bag  (1871);  tucker box  (1867);  turps, on the  (1929);  two-bob watch  (1922);  two up  (1855);  typhoid fever  (1883);  union  (1896);  up the country  (1788);  up the duff  (1975);  up the pole  (1915);  urger  (1921);  Vandemonian  (1842);  verandah  (1802);  waddy  (1801);  Waler  (1859);  walkabout  (1859);  wallaby  (1827);  wallaby stew  (1859);  wallaroo  (1845);  waratah  (1797);  washing (for gold)  (1849);  wash house  (1901);  water  (1788);  water bag  (1858);  wattle  (1789);  welsher  (1861);  whaler  (1900);  wharfie  (1911);  What do you think this is? Bush week?  (1945);  whiskers  (1829);  white ants  (1804);  wide awake hat  (1846);  widgie  (1950);  wigwam for a goose’s bridle  (1916);  wilga  (1879);  willy-willy  (1875);  wire  (1899);  within a bull’s roar  (1934);  within cooee  (1858);  wombat  (1799);  Woolloomooloo  (1829);  woomera  (1841);  Woop Woop  (1910);  wowser  (1903);  wurlie  (1839);  yabby  (1861);  yacker  (1875);  yarraman  (1846);  yobbo  (1975);  your blood is worth bottling  (1903);  zack (sixpence)  (1912);  zeppelin  (1900);  zonked  (1943).

Now, if you happen to know what Miles Franklin's "donkey-supper hat" means, or what the bleep  a thumb buster is, please let me know. I suspect it's the old English cartwheel penny of Kings George III and IV: it is definitely a small-denomination coin...or you know some that I have missed, please shout out.

I'm still working on it...


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