What's with the Aussie accent?

In the 80’s Crocodile Dundee got an entire world to say “no worries mate” and dream about going on “walkabouts” in Australia. After him came Steve Irwin – the Crocodile Hunter – and taught us to exclaim “crikey” in surprise or bewilderment. Despite being colonized by English settlers – which is a polite euphemism for convicts, criminals and officers to uphold law and order - in 1788, the Australian accent doesn’t sound like British English at all. There are a number of stories about the origin of the Aussie accent but I have a favorite one that I choose to believe.

When the first settlers came – the scoundrels and miscreants I mean – to Australia, there were so many flies that people couldn’t open their mouths properly without getting flies into their mouths. They found a way to speak with their lips barely apart and thus avoided swallowing flies, mosquitoes and other flying insects. The self-preservation instinct is still to this day very much alive. Long words are shortened when possible. Presents are called pressies, barbecue is barbie, sunglasses are sunnies and so on. Some long words are changed completely into shorter ones: afternoon is called “arvo”, pick-up truck is “ute” and a cooling bag is called an “esky”. “An esky with stubbies” is a cooling bag with beer bottles – very useful to know if you are hanging out with Australian males. If you want to ask your friend what s/he is doing in the afternoon you say: “whas happenin dis arvo?”

                  Remember your sunnies when you spend the arvo at the beach!

Some words are abbreviated ad absurdum in my opinion. The polite “thank you” or the less polite and already abbreviated “thanks” is often reduced to a virtually nonexistent “ta” in Australia. Ta?! What’s next? Perhaps a single nod with the head can replace the “ta” so the mouth can remain shut? The already short word “ok” is frequently said as “k” which makes perfectly sense as forming the letter “o” with your mouth might let in a fly or two. Maybe a thumbs-up sign could replace “k” and you save your breath completely? Just a thought Australia! Or perhaps I should say “’stralia” or “Oz” – just in case there are any insects flying around…

                                                       Thumbs up 'stralia! 

Keeping warm in Melbourne this season?

The cold winds from the South Poles has once again swept in over the Australian state of Victoria and it is fair to say that winter is here. Being from Sweden, I would say that I am rather used to cold weather. But here it is: it is only cold OUTSIDE in Sweden, not INSIDE. And it is cold INSIDE in Melbourne. Our fancy air conditioning system upstairs in the house can be used as a heater as well and downstairs we got portable heaters. Melbournians seem to rely on carpets to keep their houses warm and by carpets I mean wall-to-wall carpets that have been superglued to a cement floor. Here’s a newsflash to all builders in Victoria: carpets do not keep the house warm. Better isolation and double or triple glazing do. The houses also stay cooler in summer with isolation and double glazing. Carpets do not generate heat, they generate dust and provide a home for dust mites.

A popular heat source in winter is the electric blanket. I cannot say if it is efficient or not as I have never tried and most probably never will. To me it sounds dangerous. What if there is a thunderstorm or a power failure? Will I not get electrocuted? We decided to with a safer option: buying winter blankets. My husband wanted to do this already last year but I rejected his suggestion. ”We live in Australia” I said, ”Everyone knows it doesn’t get cold here. Australian winter is like a bad Swedish summer day.” I stand corrected. It does indeed get cold and as I said, especially inside. We went to IKEA and got the warmest blankets they had for the entire family. And they are warm! Now we have to sleep with a bedroom window open instead. Normally my husband and I sleep very closely together, especially when it’s a bit cold, but this winter we are singing a different tune. “Move away, it gets too hot” and “You’re all sweaty” are the most uttered lyrics this winter season.

Mr and Mrs have found an alternative way to keep warm this season.

The bathrooms are particularly cold and humid but I have a little housewife solution for that. I light two tea candles – from IKEA of course – and they somehow manage to give off enough warmth to both dry up the humidity as well as making the bathroom reasonably warm. Come to think of it, I light lots of candles in our living room every night. “You know it would be cheaper just to run the a/c as a heater, right?” my husband asked a little while ago. Of course! But it wouldn’t be as cozy and snuggly every evening as it is now. I am counting the days until warmer days are here again. Only three more months or so to go….

       The demand for IKEA's tea candles is high this time of the year