In Australia and most western countries, the thumbs up is a positive sign. However, in some destinations such as Iran and other Middle Eastern countries, it means the opposite. Known as the "bilakh" in Iran, it essentially means "up yours".
In some cultures, including Australia, Greece, and the Middle East, the thumbs-up gesture can be considered obscene, equivalent to “Up yours!” In many Western cultures, the thumbs-up emoji enjoys a wide range of use in text messages, social-media posts, and other forms of digital communication.
It is considered impolite to ask a direct question about a person's salary or wealth. Inquiring about someone's weight or age is also highly inappropriate in many situations. Spitting in public is rude. If there is a line for something, always queue and wait for your turn.
Pointing: Australians point with their index finger, however it is considered rude to point directly at someone. Instead, they should be indicated to verbally. Obscene Gestures: Raising one's middle finger or making the 'V' sign with one's palm facing oneself is considered very rude in Australia.
Australians respect people with strong opinions, even if they don't agree. Avoid discussions about the treatment of the aboriginal people. Don't comment on anyone's accent. Accents often distinguish social class.
Is it OK to call Indigenous Australians 'Aborigines'? 'Aborigine' is generally perceived as insensitive, because it has racist connotations from Australia's colonial past, and lumps people with diverse backgrounds into a single group.
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.
One of the first things you'll notice about Australia will no doubt be the very unique speaking habits of its people. Australians speak fast, 'chew' words and skip pronunciation of letters – combine this with their penchant for slang and abbreviations, and you have a language that's quite difficult to comprehend!
Yet Australians may be paying for that luxury, not just with the ridiculous cost of living, but with our faces. Our sunburnt country, hot gold hush of noon and pitiless blue skies have little mercy on our pale skin, which is ageing by as much as two decades faster than our counterparts in Europe and America.
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.
In a 1950 copy of Meanjin, Phillips used the term 'cultural cringe' to define the penchant for Australians to see their artists and writers' work as inferior to anything from overseas, Britain and the United States in particular. As a consequence, many Australians in the cultural field spent time or moved overseas.
Bugger off/me
“Bugger” is common in both Aussie and British slang, and vaguely refers to someone or something that is annoying. Calling someone a bugger can be used affectionately or derogatorily. The general expletive can be used in any situation, and roughly means,“F*** off/me” or “Well, I'll be damned!”
cocky. A small-scale farmer; (in later use often applied to) a substantial landowner or to the rural interest generally. In Australia there are a number of cockies including cow cockies, cane cockies and wheat cockies. Cocky arose in the 1870s and is an abbreviation of cockatoo farmer.
The thumbs up emoji usually just means “OK.”
The person you're texting is giving you their approval, so take it and leave it! Their ? is most likely a good sign and they are just agreeing with what you're saying.
5. Sheila = Girl. Yes, that is the Australian slang for girl.
According to the Monash study, Australia's proximity to the equator, the high sun exposure and generally clear atmospheric conditions mean that people living here can experience higher levels of UV exposure and longer wavelength radiation than those in Europe and North America.
Visceral fat is a risk factor for coronary heart disease, the leading underlying cause of death for Australian men. Coronary heart disease, which results from a combination of biological factors and lifestyle habits, is a major reason for the difference in mortality between men and women.
Australia's population has grown taller and taller over the past century, thanks to improved healthcare, nutrition and hygiene. A global height analysis of 200 countries quite literally measured the average growth of global populations from 1914 to 2014, with every country recording an increase in height.
Although Australians and Kiwis might sound comparatively similar to the untrained ear, research has shown there is a distinct contrast in the pronunciation of vowels. Australians tend to pronounce their vowels with more emphasis on the sound [ee], whereas New Zealanders make more prominent [u] sounds.
If you find the British accent difficult to understand, it's likely you'll find the Aussie accent even harder to grasp as, for the most part, Australia is a melting pot of all the different regional dialects of British English.
bloke – man or guy
A stereotype of a typical Australian man: loves beer, sport and barbies. It's similar to “chap”or “fella”.
C*nt, the “C” word – Used when exchanging pleasantries between close friends or family member. If someone calls you the “C” word in Australia (and you haven't done anything to make them angry), then breathe a sigh of relief… it means you have entered the mate zone.
Zed is widely known to be used in British English. But it's also used in almost every English-speaking country. In England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Australia, India, Canada (usually), and New Zealand, Z is pronounced as zed.
In most English-speaking countries, including Australia, Canada, India, Ireland, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, the letter's name is zed /zɛd/, reflecting its derivation from the Greek zeta (this dates to Latin, which borrowed Y and Z from Greek), but in American English its name is zee /ziː/, analogous to the ...