Buzz
In 1892, the German linguist Karl Lentzner released the Dictionary of the Slang-English of Australia and of Some Mixed Languages, which is likely one of the earliest collections of its kind. Lentzner writes, 'The English language has, in recent years, embraced an enormous range of words and expressions known as ‘Slang,’ which, with astonishing speed, have become common across various parts of society.' He continues, 'America, in particular, has been a fertile ground for such colloquialisms, and so has Australia. The goal of this work is to gather and, to some extent, categorize this intriguing set of unorthodox additions—Colonial Slang.'
While 'crikey' doesn’t make an appearance in this book, there’s no shortage of other odd and wonderful expressions that are worth weaving into your daily conversations. Here are just a few examples from the opening section of Lentzner’s book, 'Australian and Bush Slang.'
1. Boomah
This term for an exceptionally large type of kangaroo, according to Lentzner, likely originated from a misinterpretation by British Colonel Godfrey Charles Mundy, who wrote in Our Antipodes,
An officer from Van Diemen's Land shared with me that he once encountered a kangaroo of such extraordinary size in that colony, that, being far from home, he was only able to carry away the tail, which alone weighed thirty pounds. This species is referred to as the boomah, and it stands about seven feet tall.
Lentzner notes, 'The word was unfamiliar to him, and he assumed it referred to a particular kind of kangaroo, rather than a slang term to indicate size.'
2. Cornstalks
This term describes Australian settlers, particularly women. They are given this nickname 'because their height is notably tall, despite their fragility,' as Lentzner observes.
3. Dead Nuts On
This expression, meaning 'to be very fond of,' serves as a stronger variation of the English phrase 'nuts on.'
4. Happy Returns
This phrase carries a positive connotation, yet it refers to something rather unpleasant: someone having 'happy returns' is actually vomiting their food.
5. To Hump the Swag
To transport your belongings on your back. An example from the article 'Impressions of Australia,' published in Blackwood's Magazine: 'And you may often have to hump your own swag, for the able-bodied fellows who are standing around are likely too well off to bother earning your shilling.'
6. Kokum
Prison slang used to describe false or pretended kindness.
7. Leanaway
A term for someone who is slightly drunk. As Lentzner notes, 'The metaphor, of course, comes from the way a drunk person stumbles or reels.'
8. Off his kadoova
A term for someone who is mentally unstable. 'Off his kadoova,' 'off his head,' 'off his chump,' or simply 'off,' all express the same concept—like a train derailing, or a man losing his mind,” Lentzner explains.
9. Promossing
'Talking nonsense, acting foolishly, or just wandering about aimlessly.'
10. To have one’s shirt out
To be furious. 'This phrase likely originated from the shirt coming loose between the trousers and waistcoat during a struggle,' Lentzner explains. 'Having one's shirt out, therefore, signals excitement and anger. Another possible origin is the provincial term shurty, meaning to bustle around.'
11. Simply throwing up buckets
An expression used to convey extreme disappointment. 'When someone wants to express deep disappointment, they might say, 'Oh! I am simply throwing up buckets,'' Lentzner notes. 'This phrase is considered vulgar—mainly used by schoolboys and similar groups.'
