Aussie English CD
20 September 2005 by danielbowen
Would you review our Aussie English CD for us? - Smoko Software, Australia
Sure would.
There’s no doubt about it, Australian English can be a tad confusing to those from elsewhere. A mob called Smoko Software sent me their Aussie English CD to review. It’s basically a multimedia course for teaching Australian slang, featuring a set of ocker cartoon characters guiding you through the lingo.
Like any language product that’s teaching the quirks of a particular dialect, it’s loaded up to the brim with slang. More-so than most Australians actually use, which could lead the viewer to liberally pepper such terms around when trying to impersonate an Aussie. The idea promoted on their web site that it’ll teach you to talk like Mary Donaldson, for instance, is pretty funny. If she spoke like that, I’m betting there’s no way she’d manage to be elevated to the status of Danish princess. But in terms of reinforcing what words mean and how they’re pronounced, this style of presentation probably gets the job done.
There’s a section on geography, explaining in terms that even someone completely ignorant of the topic could understand, as well as pointing out common mispronunciations of places like Melbourne and Canberra. There’s a mix of short videos and interactive games (I found the barbecue cooking game particularly amusing) to keep the viewer’s interest up.
Commendably, it doesn’t shy away from swearing, the origins of, for instance, “no wucking furries” being explained. This has earned it an M (parental guidance recommended for those under 15 years) classification rating, but really no serious study of Australian English could or should avoid coarse language.
One problem with the CD is that it doesn’t go enough into some regional differences. For instance, it consistently talks about a barbecue “this arvie”. In some parts of the country, the slang for afternoon is “arvie”, but in others it’s “arvo”. They do however list both in the dictionary, and have obviously extensively researched the differences in pub terminology around the country so nobody should have any trouble ordering a beer.
Overall, there’s a lot of stuff in it, and it’s quite amusing. Of limited use to Australians, I would think, unless you are the type who is eternally amused by the vagaries of Australian slang. But those elsewhere in the world who are keen to learn Australian slang for visiting or other purposes would get something out of it. Bonza.
- Aussie English CD - product information, multimedia samples and purchase
- Another review
June 11th, 2006 at 2:42 pm
I am fed up with Americans writing to me who claim that Australians don’t know how to spell. Here in Australia we have developed our own spelling system just as people in the US have. Australian English is set out in “The Macquarie Dictionary” and the Oxford Australian Dictionary.”
http://feeds.feedburner.com/AdventureAustralia
June 12th, 2006 at 2:47 pm
The thing with Aussie slang is that a lot of aussies watch tv like everyone else. And becuase a lot of tv is american we have picked up american speech and phrases along with everything else.
I was just reading a list of Aussie slang words and phrases and I didnt understand 90% of them.
And by the way I have never said G’Day in my life.
July 17th, 2006 at 9:48 am
Well i can tell ya (you), i for one sure as hell say g’day all the time. its aussie and is so more natural for me to say than “HELLO”.
Cheers to aussie slang…
September 21st, 2006 at 9:47 pm
G’day Readers, G’day is a very useful and specific Australianism.. Wherever possible I use it as salutation in letters; much more appropriate than “Dear xxx”. Can’t we all use it?