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Australian Language Lessons: Lesson #2
Welcome to another Australian Language Lesson. Once again, these lessons aren't about cultural stereotypes, they're actually practical. So if you're new to Australia, you won't be completely out of place with your green and gold cap you bought from a souvenir shop.
It's important to know that 95% of Australian slang you can read about in books is obsolete. Sayings like "Fair dinkum" or "Hoo roo" are only sparingly uttered by people in Sydney. So today Sydney Spy brings you..
Today's Lesson: "Mate"
"Mate" is not used nearly as much as the stereotype believes, although there's no doubt that it's very popular. For foreigners, it probably seems like Australians use it all the time because there's no too much variety in our epithets. "Dude!" or "man!" or "crivens!" are all condensed down into "mate". It's most commonly used when a guy is addressing another guy - how well they know each other is unimportant. Though family members in the home will be less likely to say it too each other too much.
In a sentence, it will usually be placed at the end.
"That's my dad, mate"
"The Alice is a terrible name for a TV show, mate. They should have called it The Ul"
When asking a question, it will also be placed at the end of the sentence.
"How was your weekend, mate?"
"Could you tell us how to get to Sanity Music, mate? I want to beat the crowds for Casey Donovan's album signing."
It's used frequently at the beginning of a sentence to emphasise emotion.
"Mate, what are you on about? Impossible Princess was nothing next to Fever.
"Mate! He was a dead-set legend! Aluminium Undies Day was the funniest thing I've seen since I emerged from the cave where I slept on my beard."
Though it's sometimes used at the beginning of a sentence when trying to get someone's attention.
"Hey mate, I'm calling cuz I need you to tape Stooged."
"Mate, are you there?"
It's also widely used as a casual way to say "friend".
"Ian Thorpe gay? They're just mates!"
It's important to know that "mate" is informal. You wouldn't say it to teachers in the classroom, though you may say it to policeman on the street. Also, contrary to American movies like Finding Nemo, our seagulls do not say "mate" all the time. They say "cawwwww" or on occasion "bwaaak."
Australian Language Lesson #1