If there's one thing Australia is known for, it has to be our iconic slang words. Whether it's "g'day," "mate," or "how ya going?," these phrases are recognised around the world as being distinctively Australian.
But, like many things, slang goes out of fashion and becomes outdated. Case in point: This Reddit thread by u/temmoku, where they asked Australians to share popular slang words that have disappeared with the times. Here's what was said!
2. "Strewth doesn't get used enough anymore."
—u/-Otso-
Meaning: Surprise, disgust, or amazement. Basically, an Australian version of "bloody hell."
3. "I love it when I hear someone calling someone else 'cobber.' It's such a lovely colloquialism."
—u/RedDirtNurse
Meaning: A companion or friend.
5. "Dag and dunny are words I haven't heard in many years."
Meaning: For dag, someone who is unfashionable. For dunny, it's another word for toilet.
6. "Fair dinkum. I've only heard my aunt say it when I migrated to Australia when I was 7."
Meaning: Unquestionably good or something/someone that is genuine.
7. "Drongo. Grandad used to say it when I was a kid. I don't think I've heard it since he passed many moons ago."
Meaning: An idiot.
8. "'Stone the flamin' crows,' and everything else that Alf Stewart used to say."
Meaning: Surprise or annoyance.
10. "No one gets called a dropkick anymore."
Meaning: Someone who isn't very smart or hasn't achieved much in life.
11. "Words my grandparents use that nobody else seems to any more: boofhead, chunder, to Harold Holt, and mad as a cut snake."
—u/per08
Meaning: An idiot (boofhead), to vomit (chunder), to disappear without explanation (to Harold Holt, named for the Australian prime minister who vanished without a trace), and very angry (mad as a cut snake).
12. "I was going to say 'wackadoo,' as in something awesome, but apparently it's been used on Bluey recently. I don't know if it's been picked up and 'in fashion' again, or if it is just a passing fancy."
—u/sluggardish
Meaning: Eccentric or strange.
13. "Rags. As in 'I'm on my rags' (have my period)."
15. "I haven't heard anyone being called a 'fucking mole' in over 20 years."
"I'd love for it to make a comeback. It's so unnerving when you hear it out loud."
—u/RvrTam
Meaning: It's used as an insult.
16. "The old name for cigarettes that is also the f-slur is one I haven't heard in ages."
17. "In Brisbane, we used to call bogans 'bevans,' and there is a very local 'up yours' saying that has all but disappeared — 'Two to the Valley!'"
—u/TheTwinSet02
18. "My dad was my primary source of Australian slang, as all good dads everywhere are. Here are the ones that I haven't heard in yonks (a long time): thunderbox (toilet), FUBAR (Fucked Up Beyond All Recognition), povo (you're broke), and within a stone's throw (something not a far distance away)."
—u/ziyal79
19. "Fair go."
Meaning: To request that someone or something is reasonable and fair.
21. "I can't remember the last time I heard dero or grotty."
—u/kissthebear
Meaning: Short for derelict (dero) — can refer to something being in bad condition (a house) or someone who is unkempt and doesn't take care of themselves. Grotty is used to describe someone or something that is gross or unpleasant.
22. "I haven't heard anybody say, 'We're not here to fuck spiders,' in a while."
—u/Loch32
Meaning: Basically, I'm not here to fuck around.
24. "Franger. Being a contraceptive for those who did not know."
Meaning: Slang for a condom.
25. And lastly, "I don’t hear any of these as often as I did as a kid: you beauty, ratbag, and the pits.”
Meaning: Used to express joy and enthusiasm, or thank someone (you beauty), a stupid or disagreeable person (ratbag), and when something is very bad or unpleasant (the pits).
Some Reddit submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.
Aussies, do you consider these slang words to be outdated?Let us known in the comments.
PS: This should be a given, but please don't use any slurs as examples of outdated slang in the comments!