It's All Oz To Me!

As the five of you who read this blog know, I'm married to one of those durn foreigners. However, since neither of us is actually from the country we're currently living in, you'd think I'd be better and not call Matt a durn foreigner. But I'm not a good person, and I am an American, so I was raised to believe that anyone who isn't American is...you guessed it...a durn foreigner!

Anyway, on to the reason for my post. Occasionally Matt and I have some issues with miscommunication. I know that's not uncommon for married couples, or any couples in general, but our problems with communicating are a little different from the norm, we sometimes have a language barrier.

"But he's from Australia and you're from America!" you cry out in protest "You both speak English!"

I know that. Except for the fact that I speak what I like to call 'normal English' and he speaks what I call 'crazy English'. I'll give you an example.

Before Matt and I got married, we were discussing his suit and what kind he'd wear, shoes etc. And we were discussing whether or not he'd need a new belt or if he wouldn't have one etc. Matt then looks at me and says:

"Well, I could wear a jock strap."

Now I don't know about you, but I'm a good little girl, not experienced as some in the ways of men. And I couldn't for the life of me figure out the point of wearing a jock strap on your wedding day. Would he need that much support? Did it have something to do with the oh so anticipated wedding night? What kind of weirdo was I marrying? For one of the few times in my life, I was speechless. But I managed to croak out one word "Why?"

He looked back at me curiously, wondering about my strange reaction (and probably wondering why he was able to get a word in edgewise) "To hold up my pants, of course."

Well, now you can imagine the things that were racing through my brain. But luckily, I remembered that Matt doesn't speak 'normal English'. "What do you think a jock strap is?" I asked. "You know, those things that go over your shoulder and hold up your pants."

He was talking about suspenders. Now I knew the Brits called them braces, but I had no idea the Aussies called them 'jock straps'. Once I explained what my definition of a jock strap, he understood my shock. And we laughed. Lots. In fact we're still laughing.

So things like that come up, usually it's no big deal. I do like to tease Matt every now and then about some of the crazy words that Aussies use for normal things. He never fails to roll his eyes and tell me I'm crazy and that Aussies don't use any crazy words for anything (is it just me or is the word of this post 'crazy'?).

Now, loyal reader. I bring this debate to you. Please, send your friends around and have them contribute their opinions as well. Just make sure they're not Australians, I do want to win this, after all.

Everyone is familiar with some Aussie slang, and not a summer goes by without someone somewhere joking about throwing shrimp on the barbie. That's not so crazy. Aussies are notorious for shortening words, mosquitoes become 'mozzies', and breakfast turns into 'brekkie'. That's not too hard to figure out, nor is it that unusual.

But it does get worse. As an example, I'm going to post the first verse and chorus of a very famous and well loved Aussie folk song called "Waltzing Matilda". Matt sang it for me once, and if you're like me, you won't have a blooming clue what it's about: Here, I even found a video on YouTube of the song, which I think is a great version, and it gives you an idea of what it sounds like.



Once a jolly swagman camped by a billabong,
Under the shade of a Coolibah tree,
And he sang as he watched and waited till his billy boil,
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me.

Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda, You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me,
And he sang as he watched and waited till his billy boil
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me.

Down came a jumbuck to drink at that billabong
Up jumped the swagman and grabbed him with glee,
And he sang as he shoved that jumbuck in his tucker bag
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me.

Chorus

Up rode the squatter mounted on his thorough-bred
Down came the troopers One Two Three
Whose that jolly jumbuck you've got in your tucker bag
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me.

Chorus

Up jumped the swagman sprang in to the billabong
You'll never catch me alive said he,
And his ghost may be heard as you pass by that billabong
You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me.

Now, obviously you're able to discern some of what the words mean, but if you say it out loud to yourself, you'll feel exactly what it's like to speak in 'crazy English'. Don't get me wrong, I really like the song, who wouldn't want to say such fun words as 'billabong' and 'coolibah' and 'jolly jumpbuck', it's like a fairy language!So I ask you, is this normal? Can you honestly understand most of what you're reading/saying? Am I wrong here? Who's with me? Unfortunately for me, as well as all who know him, my husband is an extremely stubborn man. No matter what I say, he's convinced his English is just fine. In fact, he tried to turn it back on me and say that we 'mericans have slang that he doesn't understand.

Guess what? It's just not true, I sang for him our best known and loved folk song, Yankee Doodle Dandy. The only word he could jump on when hearing that song is the word 'Dandy'. I challenged him that more people would know what a 'dandy' was than a 'billybong' or a 'jumpbuck' or a 'swagman'. So tell me, am I right? What do you think? Am I crazy? Or is it him? Remember, no other Aussies are allowed to post...you know, because of the durn foreigner thing.