Aussie slang: the art of friendly insults

SBS Australia

5 hours ago

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Watch Weird and Wonderful Aussie English on SBS On Demand HOWIE: Do you feel like you understand English…
and then the moment you arrive in Australia, suddenly you don't? I study language and the way people use it. I grew up in the US, so I thought I knew English really well.
But when I first got here, a friend texted me and said:
'Let's meet in the arvo. Maybe 1pm.' I looked everywhere for a café called Arvo. Turns out "arvo" means "afternoon." Australians use a lot of slang.
It can be weird and confusing, especially if you're new here. This series explores why we use Aussie slang, and where these words come from.
Australians love to shorten words.
Why? Because we like to sound easygoing and relaxed. Even our folk heroes are chill.
One word for this kind of laidback character is 'larrikin.' And Aussies love to joke around –
with coworkers, friends, even strangers. We even have a word for this kind of teasing: 'chiacking.'
It started as a British word, but we made it our own. 'Chiack' probably came from an old fruit-seller's call:
Over time, it turned into the playful banter we know today.
A kind of friendly teasing — a way to show you like someone.
If someone warns you about dangerous koalas in the trees —
'drop bears' — don't worry. They're not real.
It's just more Aussie humour. Nicknames are another way we show friendliness.
We like to add an -o or -ie to people's names:
John becomes Jonno
Sharon becomes Shazza
Gary becomes Gazza Albo and Scomo are short for Anthony Albanese and Scott Morrison. You don't give yourself a nickname — your mates do.
Aussies love being informal.
It's part of our identity — especially compared to more formal cultures like Britain. That's why even in serious places like workplaces or Parliament,
we still use nicknames and casual talk. And yes, we swear a lot — but even swearing can be friendly here. Some of our favourite words?
'Bugger,' 'bastard,' 'bullshit' — and especially 'bloody.' 'Bloody' has been called The Great Australian Adjective.
We say things like 'bloody tough' when something is really bad.
It helps us stay grounded — and human.
No matter who you are, Aussies will probably call you "mate." Originally, 'mate' meant a friend or work partner.
But in Australia, it became something more. It reflects a history of shared work, food, and space.
A symbol of equality and connection. Words like 'mate,' 'larrikin,' and 'chiacking' all came from Britain —
but we gave them new life.
Australian English is always changing.
We're constantly adding new words and new meanings. Some of our freshest words come from migrants. We used to call the kookaburra things like
'laughing jackass' or 'ha-ha duck'
before using its proper Wiradjuri name. Today, we're embracing more migrant words than ever:
Foods like 'nasi goreng'
Friendly terms like 'habib' 'Habib' isn't replacing 'mate' —
it's just another way to show friendship in a diverse Australia.
One time, a tradie came to fix the plumbing at my house.
My partner made him a cup of tea.
He said, 'That's a grouse cup of tea.' We weren't sure if that was good or bad.
We looked it up — 'grouse' means 'really good!' Aussie English can be weird.
But that's what makes it so wonderful. Aussies joke, tease, and give nicknames to show they care.
If they're doing it with you — it means they probably like you. You can be part of it too. Just keep listening, keep speaking —
and one day, you'll be adding your own words to Aussie English.
Weird and Wonderful Aussie English Video production company: New Mac Video Agency