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!