Lost in Translation

Living in America causes me to question what language I speak. I come from a land down under where women (and men) apparently speak a strange dialect that is not easily understood by the American listener. 

It confuses me when people stare at me in confusion immediately after I've spoken in what I believe to be English. However, after that exchange of confusion, I hear phrases like, "I love your accent" and "you have a beautiful accent". These only cause more confusion for me because "beautiful" isn't quite the word I'd use to describe the Australian accent. 

Bogan. 

That's the word. Bogan. We sound like bogans, but apparently everybody likes a bogan over here. The majority of my 5 American readers are probably wondering what a bogan is, which brings me to the point of this blog post. I have spent the past 6 months compiling a list of words and phrases that confuse and amuse Americans. So here it is...

Pardon

Reckon

Heaps

Chemist

Ages

Trolley

Keen

Bogan

Rang

Jumper

Rocket (not arugula)

Windscreen

Biscuits

Serviettes

Rubbish

Hoon

Fortnight

Hot Cross Buns

Can't be bothered

Piddle

Gluggy

Texta

Whinge

Yobbo

Also, the word "no". Not the word, but the way we say it. Apparently it's very amusing.

Unlike those silly articles that provide definitions of words and phrases I'm going recommend you consult your nearest Australian to discover what they mean. That way you can hear their bogan, I mean beautiful, accent.