Comments on: Things You Cannot Say in Australia: Homage à George Carlin http://buffhungerland.wordpress.com/2008/07/17/things-you-cannot-say-in-australia-homage-a-george-carlin/ Postcards from Oz, an outsider's insider view of Australia Sun, 27 Sep 2009 01:32:08 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: buffhungerland http://buffhungerland.wordpress.com/2008/07/17/things-you-cannot-say-in-australia-homage-a-george-carlin/#comment-50 buffhungerland Fri, 18 Jul 2008 16:11:17 +0000 http://buffhungerland.wordpress.com/?p=81#comment-50 Love that, Cynthia. Great story. B.H. Love that, Cynthia. Great story. B.H.

]]> By: waltzingaustralia http://buffhungerland.wordpress.com/2008/07/17/things-you-cannot-say-in-australia-homage-a-george-carlin/#comment-46 waltzingaustralia Fri, 18 Jul 2008 02:23:48 +0000 http://buffhungerland.wordpress.com/?p=81#comment-46 Funny and true. When an Australian friend visited me in the states, the strap broke on her bum bag (another term that is acceptable). I told her she had to call it a fanny pack if she wanted anyone here to know what she was talking about, but she couldn't bring herself to say it. So I went with her, to help her shop. She was still amazed that I could just say the word in public. And then there was the British friend (because Australian and British have many terms in common) who tried to buy a packet of rubbers. Of course, she wanted erasers, but had a fair bit of difficulty getting what she needed. Thanks for sharing a bit of the list (and yes, it could go on -- not all embarrassing, but many equally incomprehensible to the listener). Some fun memories there of my own adventures in learning to speak 'Strine. Funny and true. When an Australian friend visited me in the states, the strap broke on her bum bag (another term that is acceptable). I told her she had to call it a fanny pack if she wanted anyone here to know what she was talking about, but she couldn’t bring herself to say it. So I went with her, to help her shop. She was still amazed that I could just say the word in public.

And then there was the British friend (because Australian and British have many terms in common) who tried to buy a packet of rubbers. Of course, she wanted erasers, but had a fair bit of difficulty getting what she needed.

Thanks for sharing a bit of the list (and yes, it could go on — not all embarrassing, but many equally incomprehensible to the listener). Some fun memories there of my own adventures in learning to speak ‘Strine.

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