Aussies certain like these brekkies, barbies and mozzies.
We’re not speaking about “actual” mosquitoes right here. We’re undoubtedly (undoubtedly) speaking about phrases, and Australians can not seem to get sufficient of those shorthand phrases.
Some say that we’re lazy to chop them. Others declare that solely Australians knock on the door phrases decreased to measurement: ta, we’ll have a glass of sav de taxi ob de savvy as a substitute of no matter it’s in French.
Our most beloved abbreviations finish in -ie/y and -o. Journalists usually ask us why Aussies put on them and if they are going to final. Properly, not solely are we nonetheless utilizing them, seppos (American) and pommies (British) are getting in on the motion too.
This is an uplifting story on your hollies about Australia’s ‘superior shrinking phrases’.
Endings that unite and unite us
These alternate phrase types are sometimes described as “diminutives” (or hypocoristics).
Pet names with such endings can present that we’ve a heat or simply pleasant angle in the direction of one thing or somebody (consider the -s in Cuddles). Definitely in nouns, -ie/y and -o are sometimes endearing (suppose Susy and Robbo).
However the overwhelming majority of diminutive Australians are doing one thing completely different.
In reality, saying journo or pollie doesn’t often point out that we’re pondering of journalists and politicians as small and endearing issues. These “diminutives” are additionally a world away from the birdies and puppies at daycare. Grownup Aussies can gleefully discuss blowies and trackies, however not about birdies and doggies, nicely, until it is on the golf course or maybe in reference to Western Bulldogs getting a blemish (spectacular mark).
For Australian Nationwide College linguist Anna Wierzbicka, these expressions are among the many most culturally salient options of Australian English: expressions of informality and solidarity which can be “uniquely suited to the Anglo-Australian spirit.” […] and interplay type.
Experiments by Australian linguists have empirically confirmed the social results of those embellished phrases. Colloquialisms like barbie and smoko are like accents: a part of the glue that binds English-speaking Australians collectively.
Are the endings -ie/y pricey or weak?
Diminutives can disappear after they tackle the burden of recent social meanings. One of many oldest endings (relationship again to Anglo-Saxon instances) is -ling. We nonetheless see it in phrases like twinkling and darling. Nonetheless, in trendy instances it had been turned the wrong way up and derogatory, particularly when used with people (suppose weakling and underling).
Not like -ling, our endings -ie/-y have essential and optimistic meanings, and there aren’t any indicators of giving up but. These sunnies, scungies, boardies, cozzies, stubbies and trackies are nonetheless a part of our summer season sartorial trend.
Jargon might come and go, however the course of that transforms sun shades into sunnies and sweatpants into trackies continues to thrive.
In reality, these expressions are so profitable that some are amongst Australia’s profitable exports. Worldwide celebrities embrace greenie, pollie, surfie, mozzie, budgie (and their budgie smuggler derivatives).
And let’s not neglect the linguistic rock star that selfie is: his meteoric rise to stardom in 2013 noticed him topped Phrase of the Yr by Oxford Dictionaries, and likewise by the Van Dale Dictionary within the Netherlands.
Nonetheless, we’re continuously renewing our inventory of -ie/y phrases. Lots of the gems in Wendy Allen’s assortment of 1980s Melbourne teen slang (teenage speech) have bitten the mud (eg scottie from “has no pals” -> “has no pals” -> “s ‘received + ie”).
However the second version of the Australian Nationwide Dictionary exhibits us what number of -ie/y phrases have proliferated because the 1980s and 1990s (firie, tradie, trackie daks).
Bottle-o, milko and smoko: are they nonetheless alive-o?
That different long-time favourite ending – or happens all through the English-speaking world. Nonetheless, because the Oxford English Dictionary describes, its use “is very related to Australia.”
Our love for this suffix -o can also have one thing to do with Irish English. Nonetheless, Australian linguist Jane Simpson notes that it has a lot broader functions in Australia (and New Zealand), as evidenced by place names like Rotto (Rottnest Island), Freo (Fremantle), Paddo (Paddington), and customary names like compo (indemnity), ambo (ambulance driver) and bowlo (bowling membership). And we’re additionally exporting them: demo, preggo and muso have reached the remainder of the world.
As with the -ie/y endings, our -o endings are not going wherever in a rush. Nonetheless, its long-term survival appears barely much less sure than -ie/y. We’re nonetheless seeing newer mintages (like housos), however a 2011 examine means that younger individuals is likely to be utilizing this coin lower than older generations.
Rellies or watches, garbies or garbos: is there a sample?
There are docks and vans, however no docks or vans; garbos and muses however not garbies and musies. Individuals who experience bikes are typically cyclists; those that belong to bike gangs are often motorcyclists.
So what in regards to the bikos? And why are there gaps? Those that construct homes are neither buildos nor buildies.
To make certain, there are nuanced variations of which means right here. does unusual describe unconventional individuals extra affectionately than weirdo, and even bizarre particular person? Certainly, there’s a world of distinction between the sicko (psychologically in poor health particular person) and the sickie (being allowed to drink when you find yourself sick, or is it when you find yourself not sick?).
The earliest Australian examples (comparable to milko, rabbitito, bottle-o) date from the 19th century and are abbreviated nouns referring to an individual’s commerce (“milkman”, “rabbit vendor”, “bottle collector”). Generally they seem with -oh due to its affiliation with road calls, and this utilization is old- consider these cockles and mussels in 18th century London, all very “alive, alive-oh”.
You inform us: do you favor a lammo or a lammie for the cake coated in chocolate and coconut? And are your loved ones members rellos or rellies? There are many lexicographers, linguists, and different phrase nerds who have not figured this out.
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