It surely sounds strange to those who are familiar with American or British English, but it is a very common expression in Australia. G'day is a shortened form of 'Good Day' and it is the equivalent of 'Hello. ' Mate means friend or buddy and it can be used to address your friend or a total stranger.
“Mate” is a popular word for friend. And while it's used in other English-speaking countries around the world, it has a special connection to Australia. In the past, mate has been used to address men, but it can be gender-neutral. In Australia, you'll also hear mate used in an ironic sense.
The most common verbal greeting is a simple “Hey”, “Hello”, or “Hi”. Some people may use Australian slang and say “G'day” or “G'day mate”. However, this is less common in cities. Many Australians greet by saying “Hey, how are you?”.
The Australian National Dictionary explains that the Australian usages of mate derive from the British word 'mate' meaning 'a habitual companion, an associate, fellow, comrade; a fellow-worker or partner', and that in British English it is now only in working-class use.
The word “digger” – still used to identify Australian soldiers – first became interchangeable with mate on the Western Front. Digger, interestingly, is another word that harkens back to the goldfields and the egalitarian ideals of the Eureka Stockade rebellion of 1854.
G'day is a shortened form of 'Good Day' and it is the equivalent of 'Hello. ' Mate means friend or buddy and it can be used to address your friend or a total stranger. So, everyone can be your mate in Australia.
But in his new book Mateship: A Very Australian History, Dr Dyrenfurth traces the term back to the very first white Australians - the convicts. "The convicts brought with them from Britain the term mate, and they used it amongst themselves," he said.
G'day. One of the first things you'll hear when in Australia, is the classic “G'day, mate”, which is basically the same as saying, “good day”, or “hello”.
Frequently used by adolescents when referring to a man known to them. "Old mate" or "old matey" is a substitute for using the man's name. Interchangeable for "bloke", "guy" or "fella": I saw old mate about signing up for the footy team.
Some of the most well known Aboriginal words for hello are: Kaya, which means hello in the Noongar language. Palya is a Pintupi language word used as a greeting much in the same way that two friends would say hello in English while Yaama is a Gamilaraay language word for hello used in Northern NSW.
Contributor's comments: "But" at the end of a sentence is used in Sydney where it is the same as putting "but" at the beginning of a sentence. Thus "But I didn't do it!" is the same as saying "I didn't do it, but!"
Mate (noun) So, 'mate' is British slang for a friend. But, like a lot of British slang, mate is a word that is used as much sarcastically as it is sincerely. You're just as likely to call someone 'mate' when they're your friend as when they're annoying you.
Someone's mate is their spouse, partner, boyfriend, or girlfriend. Your grandmother's long-term sweetheart is her mate. Awwww. A husband or wife is one kind of mate, and animals have mates too, chosen for reproduction and sometimes to assist in raising babies.
Yes, but Generally, like lots of words in Australia, shortened to “babe”. E.G. answering phone “Hi babe! What's up?”
Morn – Morning
Morn is an Australian slang word for 'morning', and is used as a friendly greeting. It can be used as a simple way of saying hello when you meet someone in the morning. For example, if you are running late to work and you see someone on the street, you could say “Morn!”.
"Aussie Aussie Aussie, Oi Oi Oi" is a cheer or chant often performed at Australian sport events. It is a variation of the Oggy Oggy Oggy chant used by both soccer and rugby union fans in Great Britain from the 1960s onwards. It is usually performed by a crowd uniting to support a sports team or athlete.
Bunji: Aboriginal English for mate. Eg. “How're you doing bunji?”
Contributor's comments: The meaning of Bubs I grew up with is a baby, or quite often the youngest member of the family is called "bubs" from an older sibling.
1. “How ya goin'?” “How ya goin'?” is the ultimate Aussie greeting.
Why Do Aussies Use So Many Abbreviations? Nenagh Kemp, a psychologist at the University of Tasmania, told Australian Geographic her theories behind why Australians use these shortened words so often. Her theory is that Australians use them as a way of coming across as more friendly and less pretentious.