Aussies say “Yes”, Yeah, Yep, Sure, Okay, Right, Righto, Gotcha…. few others. But apart from those that hail from Scotland or the North shires of England, we don't say aye.
“How ya goin'?” is the ultimate Aussie greeting. If you're not from Australia, this mash-up of “How are you?” and “Where are you going?” might leave you a little perplexed. If it helps, think of how the Brits say “y'alright?” - it requires no detailed response. In fact, a simple “hey!” will suffice.
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Why don't Aussies bark?
Despite their high energy, Aussies are usually quiet. They may bark to alert their owners of a stranger or an unfamiliar situation but other than that, you won't hear much from them. This fits the self-controlled personality that Aussies possess. Most Australian Shepherds are thinking dogs, not impulsive ones.
While some Australian speakers would pronounce “no” as a diphthong, starting on “oh” as in dog and ending on “oo” as in put, others begin with an unstressed “a” (the sound at the end of the word “sofa”), then move to the “oh” and then “oo”.
Ask an Aussie to name a truly Australian word, and they might yell "Bonzer!" Bonzer, sometimes also spelled bonza, means "first-rate" or "excellent," and it is the Australian equivalent of the American "awesome": "It's a good clean game ... and the standard is red hot," Thies said.
Cultural origins. Early documentation dates the phrase back to 1966. According to author of When Cultures Collide: Leading Across Cultures, Richard D. Lewis, the phrase is a form of expression of the relaxed attitude in Australian culture.
Yeah nah is a commonly used Australian phrase and colloquialism. The phrase yeah nah means 'no', but it allows the speaker or writer to ease into their response so as to not come across as too outspoken, or brash.
Hooroo as a farewell has been in use in Australia since at least 1916. It comes from the term hooray which was recorded in the Bulletin way back in 1898. It has been used on Australian TV in the past as a sign off from big shows including those of Molly Meldrum.
In the course of conversation the tag "eh" is often used merely to check that the person you are talking to is listening and following what you are saying. A mere prefunctory "Yeah" is all that is required in response.
But Australian accents are non rhotic, so that means that we only pronounce an r. when the word is followed by a vowel. So if I say over the river, you can hear it's just over the river, but as soon as the next word has a vowel at the front, then an R sound is pronounced.
In England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Australia, India, Canada (usually), and New Zealand, Z is pronounced as zed. It's derived from the Greek letter zeta.
It can be used as a simple way of saying hello when you meet someone in the morning. For example, if you are running late to work and you see someone on the street, you could say “Morn!”. This is an informal way of saying 'good morning', and can be a great way to show someone that you are friendly.
Strong guardian instincts Aussies are protective watchdogs. Reserved with strangers Aussies are closely attached to their family but do not tend to seek contact with strangers, or easily accept strangers as “friends.” This does not mean they are shy or aggressive. Aussies are selective in their social interactions.
They are often nicknamed 'velcro dogs' because of their tendency to stick beside their favored person. They desire lots of attention and dislike being left alone for long periods. The diligent Aussie likes to problem-solve and will find jobs to do around the home—often herding children or other pets.
As mentioned, Aussies may be prone to protecting their territories. Although territorial dogs may appear bold, there is likely some element of fear aggression at play in dogs who act aggressively when people approach their territory. Affected dogs will bark and growl when people approach their perceived territory.
