Australian Colloquialisms - Part 3 Quiz

Answer: Do not camp under a eucalyptus tree when koalas are feeding

There is a common misconception that koalas get "high" on eucalyptus leaves and can fall out of trees. This misconception is due to the fact koalas can sleep up to 22 hours a day. A "drop bear" is a hoax, designed to scare tourists, referring to a predatory, carnivorous version of the koala bear. Even the Australian Museum contains an entry on its website for the "drop bear", seriously written of course, as they would for any other species, including scat analysis and classification, Species - plummetus, Genus - Thylarctos.(http://australianmuseum.net.au/drop-bear) This tongue-in-cheek entry was created to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year in 2010. Australian Geographic ran an article on its website as well; it was no surprise when it appeared on 1 April 2013 (April Fools' Day). (http://www.australiangeographic.com.au/news/2013/04/drop-bears-target-tourists,-study-says/). That is how far Australians will go for a laugh, and these articles accessed by smart phones give credence to the "drop bear" and will allow the folklore to perpetuate.

Answer: Something is extremely impressive

I don't know about the rest of the world, but if an Australian saw ants wearing pants they would be extremely impressed and amazed. "Ant's pants" can also refer to someone that has a high opinion of themselves, or it can be used as a rating term meaning "unequivocally the best".

Answer: Shark

A shark is known as "Noah" due to the rhyming slang of Noah's ark. It has been around since the 1930's but the term "Noah" has been used since the late 19th century when it referred to an informant, or "nark".

Answer: An imaginary coin of minuscule value

The term "razoo" has been around since World War I, and the phrase "I haven't got a razoo" means the speaker is out of money. In the 1960s the term "brass razoo" became the preferred colloquialism. The origin of the term is still unknown, some theories suggest it may be a reference to the minuscule value of the Egyptian, Indian or possibly French monetary coinage of the time.

Answer: Labourious physical work

The term "yakka" has been used since the 1840s and it has always been used as "to work". It is derived from the Yagara indigenous language of the Brisbane region from the word "yaga" meaning "work". One of Australia's most popular brands of work-wear is named "Hard Yakka", advertised as being tough, durable and built to last, much like us Aussies!

Answer: The ground

How many of you tried to google "Bindi" and came up with images of Bindi Irwin, thus answered Australia Zoo? "Bindi" (or Bindi-eye, Bindii, Bindy-eye) is a weed found in lawns. It has sharp barbs that stick into the sole of one's foot. Many mums or dads have used tweezers or a needle to try and remove the barbs from their child's foot, and the resultant sounds emanating from such practices echo around the neighbourhoods in summer. Dogs and cats are smart and will avoid areas where they have encountered the plant.

Answer: You've got absolutely no chance

The most popular belief for the origin of the term "Buckley's" is that it comes from the name of William Buckley, a British convict who was transported to Australia for receiving stolen cloth. He escaped from Port Phillip in 1803 and lived for 32 years with the indigenous Wathawurung people near Geelong, Victoria.

He was found by John Batman in 1835. The chances of his surviving the hardship of life at a penal colony, and subsequently surviving on the land, were determined to be no chance at all.

Despite all this, Buckley took his chance for freedom and survived. Like all good colloquialisms evolution occurs, to continue relevance, and in 1851 a drapery store opened in Melbourne by the name Buckley & Nunn, so "Buckley's chance" evolved to "Buckley's and none".

Answer: A thrilling or scary movie

A "two-pot-screamer" refers to the "pot" as a standard glass of beer, and has been used since 1960 in reference to someone who becomes talkative or rowdy after consuming a small amount of alcohol. The Australian Rules "screamer" was first recorded in 1953 and refers to a mark that results from a high and spectacular leap for the ball.

This has been extended to a spectacular catch in cricket. Surfing in Australia is popular with over 1 in 10 Australians surfing as a recreational activity. "Screamer" refers to a very large wave because that is what happens if an inexperienced surfer catches one.

Answer: Bending over to collect litter

The phrase "emu bob" is a reference to an emu bending its neck towards the ground in search of food. It was developed in the 1920s when, after burning an area, pieces of debris were picked up by hand, thus clearing the land. By the 1940s the collection of trash became the specific meaning. It can also mean inspecting the ground in a search for something.

Answer: A type of lolly

"Fruit Tingles" is a brand of confectionery originating in Australia. It is a fruit flavoured lolly (candy) which is chalky in texture, appearing as a multicoloured disc. Originally manufactured in the 1930ss by Allen's in Melbourne, sodium bicarbonate was present in Fruit Tingles, which resulted in the effervescent "tingle".