Which Dialect Of English Has The Most Idioms?

[RJJ]

I'd have to vote for Australia as having the most "unusual" idioms. The media--especially films and television--have played a big role in spreading idioms around, thus, when I was first overseas, most British idioms I had at least heard.

Australia is a little more isolated, less populated and a lot of the actors and actresses that made it into internationally well-known films were in either British or American films and didn't bring a lot of the idioms in the international mainstream.

Then there are all those unusual creatures they refer to!

The first few times I was out with a couple of Australians, it took me some time (and questioning) as to what some of them meant. Fortunately, they are very patient people. I felt boring, since they knew all mine!

Crikies mate!

One word I love to use is "slash" as in urinate.

Recently my US colleague was in Australia and asked "Where's the bathroom?"

I smiled and replied, "No Mate! If you need a slash, then piss-off to the shit-house"

Then I pointed over my shoulder in the direction of the toilet.

Depending on where you are in Australia, and more probably who you are with, the toilet is also often referred to as the "Out-house", "Thunder-box", Loo, dunny (hence the term "dunny paper"), "The crapper" (named after Thomas Crapper, the designer of the modern flush system), and so many more.

If you are traveling around the out-back or the bush, you need to watch out for the "Drop-bears" which can sometimes drop out of trees and attack the unwitting tourist.

"Bugger-me" is a term of surprise, not an invitation to make me walk funny for the next week.

Fair-dinkum? (said with a questioning tone) is a polite way of expressing disbelief of the shit you are slinging, ie you are telling a tall-story.

Fair-dinkum (said as an exclamation) or "It's fair-dinkum" means it is true-blue, the real-deal.

Not all of these are purely Aussie terms, but they are used by many Aussies.

Many of them are only used in certain parts of Australia, and you might get a few funny looks if you use them in the wrong areas.

That's enough for tonight; I might add some more tomorrow.

Edited July 31, 2007 by RJJ

[Crossy]

all the pommy sparkies I have worked with have called them crescents, and multigrips are polygrips (they arnt made of plastic)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poly

I dont care what wikepeda says, the poms I have worked with have referred to a shifter as such

"Polygrip" is a type of glue used to hold dentures (false teeth) in place

I reckon these pommie sparkies are really Septics trying to pass themselves off as pomms in order to gain your respect

EDIT I think what you are referring to as multi-grip would be called a 'Mole grip' (actually a brand name) in the UK.

Edited August 1, 2007 by Crossy